APR  ^'l  1904 


By  1520    .M38   1903 

Mead,  George  White field, 
1865- 

Modern  methods  in  Sunday- 
school  work 


MODERN    METHODS 
IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 


S^unbag-irlinnl  Work 

THE       NEW       EVANGELISM 


Rev.  George  Whitefield  Mead,  Ph.D, 

Author  of 
'*  Modern  Methods  in  Church  Work" 


Jehovah  of  hosts  is  wonderful  in 
counsel,  and  excellent  in  that  sort 
of  wisdom  which  causes  things 
to  succeed." — Isaiah. 


New  York 

B0J1&,  Mmh  wxh  Qlompmt^ 

1903 


Copyright,  1903, 
By  DoDD,  Mead  and  Company. 


BURR   PRINTING    HOUSE, 
NEW   YORK. 


BeDtcateb 

To  THOSE  Leaders  of  Christian  Thought  and  Work 
WHOSE  Kindly  Contribution  of  Information 

HAS    MADE    POSSIBLE    THIS    PUBLICATION. 


PREFACE 

Explanatory.  The  genesis  of  this  book  was  my 
desire  for  the  improvement  of  the  Sunday-schools  under 
my  immediate  care.  As  a  pastor,  I  found  myself  pitifully 
inadequate  to  meet  the  requirements  of  Sunday-school 
work.  It  had  been  my  privilege  but  a  few  years  ago  to 
study  in  a  representative  theological  seminary,  where  T 
covered  the  full  courses  of  ''catechetics,"  "pastoral  theol- 
ogy," etc.,  yet  the  training  of  this  representative  institu- 
tion did  not  ''train"  relative  to  the  principles,  problems, 
needs  and  growing  demands  of  this  foundation  work  of 
the  Church,  the  Bible-school.  In  parish  work,  therefore, 
I  found  myself  in  the  growing  years  unequipped,  and 
face  to  face  with  the  awful  alternative  that  the  Sunday- 
school  must  be  improved  or  suffer  the  loss — as  the  Church 
at  large,  for  the  most  part,  has  suffered  for  years — of 
scores  of  youth.  I  raised  the  question,  "What  can  I  do?" 
For  suggestion  I  consulted  every  known  publication  on 
Sunday-school  work  and  methods.  These  books  say  many 
excellent  things  and  can  be  read  with  profit,  but  I  found 
too  much  of  theory,  abstract  reasoning,  and  presentation 
of  thought  from  the  view-point  of  one  man  for  the  meet- 
ing of  practical  need.  I,  therefore,  sought  through  per- 
sonal visitation  and  correspondence  to  learn  from  the  most 
experienced  and  successful  Sunday-school  workers  who 
are  now  actually  in  the  field  and  who  are  doing  things, — 
I  sought  to  learn  from  them  the  full  descriptions  of  their 
actual  zvorking  methods.  A  generous  response  gave  a 
wealth  of  information.  Successful  workers  of  all  de- 
nominations   placed    before    me   the    improved   methods 

V 


PREFACE 

which  are  giving  such  large  results  in  their  own  work, — 
methods  which  have  been  reached  by  many  of  these  work- 
ers only  after  years  of  experience,  experiment  and  conse- 
crated toil.  The  purpose  of  this  volume,  therefore,  is  to 
set  forth  these  improved  methods  which  are  giving  such 
large  and  inspiring  results  in  the  more  successful  Sun- 
day-schools of  to-day,  together  with  their  underlying 
principles  in  the  light  of  the  new  educational  ideals.  With 
such  purpose  in  a  book,  the  author's  part  is,  indeed,  a 
humble  part ;  but  even  so,  a  book  must  represent  a  hitherto 
uncovered  field  if  its  publication  is  to  have  justification. 
I  present  this  volume,  therefore,  in  the  belief  that  it  is 
the  first  book  of  its  kind  collecting  from  the  current  life 
and  progressive  work  of  modern  Sunday-schools  their 
own  account  of  their  administrative  methods,  carefully 
collating,  presenting  and  explaining  the  essential  details 
of  their  various  successful  plans ;  giving  facts  and  sug- 
gestions of  the  best  methods  of  the  best  workers  of  the 
several  denominations  suited  to  the  work  of  the  smaller, 
as  well  as  of  the  larger,  Sunday-schools ;  and  making  a 
special  feature  of  the  work  the  reproduction  of  the  printed 
matter  used  in  the  work  of  progressive  schools,  such  as 
honor  rolls,  profile  and  star  charts,  certificates,  diplomas, 
bulletins,  tokens,  cards  of  merit,  letters  to  teachers  and 
pupils,  report  cards,  blank  forms,  invitations  and  other 
valuable  aids  as  in  actual  use  in  the  parish  agencies.  It 
is  the  regret  of  both  author  and  publishers  that  this  latter 
feature  of  the  work  has  added  materially  to  the  cost  of  the 
book.  Of  course,  it  is  not  my  belief  that  any  one  school 
can  use  all  the  methods  herein  outlined,  but  that  schools 
can  select  from  these  methods  that  have  been  successful 
with  others  and  adapt  them  to,  and  many  times  improve 
upon  them  for,  their  own  use.  The  actual  results  of  the 
improved  methods,  as  told  on  the  following  pages,  make 
an  inspiring  story;  and  one  cannot  read  of  these  doings 

vi 


PREFACE 

in  the  Kingdom  without  feeling  a  new  and  mighty  inspi- 
ration, and  that  God  is,  indeed,  with  His  people!  When 
many  are  telling  us  of  what  ought  to  be,  it  is  encouraging 
to  learn  of  what  has  actually  begun  to  be. 

While  I  have  endeavored  to  make  this  work  compre- 
hensive and  somewhat  encyclopaedic,  at  the  same  time 
avoiding  pedagogical  and  other  technical  terms,  and  with 
such  direct  information  as  will  enable  Sunday-school 
workers  to  do  things,  and  yet  better  things,  I  am  conscious 
of  limitations.  But  I  can  make  no  apology.  The  book  has 
been  prepared  amid  the  cares  of  a  busy  pastorate ;  but  the 
task,  though  arduous,  has  been  a  pleasure.  Amid  the  bur- 
dens of  parish  work  I  have  found  rest  and  refreshment  in 
turning  to  and  pondering  on  the  letters  of  Sunday-school 
workers,  who  have  become  to  me  living  friends.  And  as  T 
have  studied  their  work,  and,  again,  written  of  the  "su- 
perintendent," "the  teacher,"  "the  pastor,"  "our  pu- 
pils" and  "our  problems,"  I  have  felt  our  fellowship,  our 
common  faith,  the  sweep  of  our  purpose,  the  oneness  of 
it  and  the  majesty  of  it,  and  I  have  risen  from  my  com- 
munion the  stronger  for  life's  battles,  and,  I  trust,  the 
better  also,  and  with  larger  and  yet  larger  faith  in  the 
glorious  coming  of  the  Kingdom  of  our  God ! 

Acknowledgment.  I  desire  to  acknowledge  the  gen- 
erous kindness  of,  and  to  express  my  indebtedness  to, 
those  Sunday-school  workers  who  have  made  this  book 
possible  through  kindly  giving  me  information  relative 
to  the  work  and  methods  of  their  Sunday-schools. 
Though  some  schools  are  not  mentioned  for  want  of  space, 
the  review  of  their  work  has  been  an  aid  and  inspiration  in 
the  preparation  of  this  volume.  In  addition  to  those 
whose  names  appear  in  the  text  of  the  book,  I  am  in- 
debted for  information  to 

Mr.  John  E.  Myer,  Auburn,  N.  Y. ;  Miss  Pauline  Wurs- 
ter,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. ;  Mr.  John  Rose,  Aurora,  111. ;  Mr. 

vii 


PREFACE 

J.  H.  Tucker,  Asheville,  N.  C. ;  Mr.  Charles  G.  Goodrich, 
Augusta,  Ga. ;  Mr.  Irwin  B.  SheUing  and  Mr.  Edward  J. 
Rapp,  Allentown,  Pa. ;  Mr.  W.  H.  Wood,  Burhngton, 
Vt.;  Mr.  J.  Howard  Field  and  E.  E.  Goodwin,  M.D., 
Brockton,  Mass.;  Mr.  E.  F.  Arthurs,  Baltimore,  Md. ; 
Mr.  George  S.  Hawley,  Bridgeport,  Conn. ;  Mr.  Walter 
A.  Gilbert,  Brattleboro,  Vt. ;  Mr.  F.  B.  Denio,  Bangor, 
Me.;  Mr.  Horace  E.  Neal,  Boise,  Idaho;  Mr.  Frank  A. 
Home,  Mr.  Stephen  P.  Sturgis,  Mr.  J.  Fred  Wright, 
Mr.  Charles  F.  Abbott,  Mr.  W.  B.  O'Connor,  Mr.  W.  W. 
Patrick,  Mr.  J.  Eynn  Eddy,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  Rev. 
Scott  F.  Hershey,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,  Boston;  Mr.  William 
H.  Porter,  Mr.  O.  W.  Crowell,  Concord,  N.  H. ; 
Mr.  Homer  J.  Miller,  Canton,  Ohio;  Mr.  John 
W.  Young,  Dr.  E.  T.  Duke,  Cumberland,  Md. ;  Mr.  J.  W. 
Keese,  Mr.  Benjamin  L.  Webb,  Cortland,  N.  Y. ;  George 
J.  Fisher,  M.D.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  Mr.  J.  B.  Spillman, 
Mr.  Robert  King,  Columbia,  S.  C. ;  Mr.  George  E.  Keith, 
Campello,  Mass. ;  Mr.  C.  N.  Bentley,  Chelsea,  Mass. ;  Mr. 
George  A.  Estabrook,  Clinton,  Mass. ;  Mr.  Fred  S. 
Tucker,  Colorado  Springs,  Col. ;  Mr.  S.  P.  Fenn,  Mr. 
L.  H.  Severance,  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Mr.  E.  E.  Northway, 
Mr.  George  C.  Lazear,  Chicago,  111. ;  Mr.  B.  M.  Harger, 
Dr.  C.  J.  Peterson,  Dubuque,  Iowa;  Mr.  J.  J.  Williams, 
Dayton,  Ohio;  Mr.  David  Shelhart,  Danville,  Pa.;  Mr. 
Andrew  H.  Mills,  Mr.  R.  C.  Augustine,  Mr.  E.  A. 
Gastman,  Decatur,  111. ;  James  Polk  Willard,  M.D., 
Denver,  Col. ;  Mr.  Eben  Lea,  Rev.  W.  T.  Tap- 
scott,  Erie,  Pa.;  Mr.  F.  H.  Lehr,  Easton,  Pa.;  Mr. 
James  R.  T.  McCarroll,  East  Orange,  N.  J. ;  Mr.  H.  B. 
Wheelock,  Evanston,  111. ;  Mr.  J.  Clarence  Read,  Mr. 
Clinton  V.  S.  Remington,  Fall  River,  Mass. ;  Rev.  W.  O. 
Conrad,  Fitchburg,  Mass. ;  Mr.  J.  R.  Carpenter,  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich. ;  E.  D.  Chase,  M.D.,  Galveston,  Tex. ; 
Mr.  E.  M.  Curtis,  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y. ;  Mr.  Louis  Wag- 

viii 


PREFACE 

ner,  Germantown,  Pa. ;  Mr.  Harry  R.  Davis,  Haverhill, 
Mass. ;  Mr.  Charles  A.  Chase,  Holyoke,  Mass. ;  Mrs. 
Martha  S.  Mead,  Jamestown,  N.  Y. ;  Mr.  W.  J.  Fulton, 
Mr.  D.  W.  Young,  Jr.,  Keokuk,  Iowa;  Rev.  George  F. 
Kenngott,  Mr.  Louis  Alexander,  Mr.  C.  H.  Holgate, 
Lowell,  Mass. ;  Rev.  Henry  H.  Sweets,  Louisville,  Ky. ; 
Mr.  Adam  Saylor,  Mr.  C.  R.  Lantz,  Lebanon,  Pa. ;  Mr. 
Walter  A.  Heinitsh,  Mr.  John  N.  Hetrick,  Lancaster, 
Pa.;  Captain  A.  C.  Banner,  Mobile,  Ala.;  Mr.  E.  W. 
Poore,  Manchester,  N.  H. ;  Mr.  Emmett  C.  Baxter,  Mans- 
field, Ohio ;  Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies,  Jr.,  Norwich,  Conn. ; 
Mr.  J.  R.  Westerfield,  New  Orleans,  La.;  Mr.  Erastus 
Benjamin,  Newburg,  N.  Y. ;  Mr.  Ira  D.  Shaw,  Wendell  C. 
Phillips,  M.D.,  Mr.  William  P.  Uhler,  Mr.  H.  L.  Craw- 
ford, Mr.  Charles  H.  Sears,  New  York  City ;  Miss  Carrie 
C.  Barker,  Nashua,  N.  H. ;  Rev.  Ernest  J.  Dennen,  New- 
port, R.  I.;  W.  A.  Johnston,  M.D.,  D.D.S.,  Peoria, 
111.;  Mr.  Edmund  P.   Piatt,   Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. ;  Mr. 

F.  W.  Tunnell,  Mr.  Ernest  Leigh  Tustin,  Miss  A.  S. 
Harlow,  Mr.  Charles  Gallaudet  Trumbull,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.;  Mrs.  G.  H.  Batchelor,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Powlison,  Miss 
Edith   Cairns,   Mr.   G.   E.   Hall,   Plainfield,   N.   J.;   Rev. 

G.  B.  F.  Hallock,  D.D.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. ;  Mr.  I.  M. 
Warren,  Roanoke,  Va. ;  Mr.  Thomas  Weir,  Mr.  John  T. 
Axton,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah;  Mr.  J.  W.  Sault,  St. 
Johnsbury,  Vt. ;  Rev.  S.  H.  Woodrow,  Springfield, 
Mass.;  Mr.  E.  C.  Warriner,  Saginaw,  Mich.;  Mr.  Wil- 
liam B.  Wylie,  Rev.  Charles  Stelzle,  St.  Louis,  Mo. ; 
Mr.  A.  A.  Macurda,  San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  Hon.  Melvin 
L.  Milligan,  Springfield,  Ohio ;  Mr.  F.  M.  Guion,  Seattle, 
Wash. ;  Mr.  Joseph  H.  Wright,  Trenton,  N.  J. ;  Mr.  Frank 
J.  Brown,  Topeka,  Kan. ;  Mr.  F.  H.  Boughton,  Mr.  George 
F.  Wells,  Mr.  Leslie  C.  Lawrance,  Mr.  F.  A.  Starr,  To- 
ledo, Ohio;  Mr.  Henry  H.  Wells,  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.; 
Mr.  Miles  M.  Shand,  Washington,  D.  C, ;  Mr.  W.  K. 

ix 


PREFACE 

Crosby,  Wilmington,  Del. ;  Mr.  Isadora  Fulton,  Wheeling, 
W.  Va. ;  Mr.  John  G.  Reading,  Williamsport,  Pa. ;  Mr. 
A.  D.  McCliire,  Mr.  W.  B.  Cooper,  Wilmington,  N.  C. ; 
Mr.  D.  L.  Smith,  Waterbury,  Conn. ;  Mr.  J.  R.  Vaughan, 
Waterloo,  Iowa;  Mr.  W.  B.  Jenkins,  Youngstown,  Ohio; 
Mr.  M.  B.  Gibson,  Mr.  W.  S.  Bond,  York,  Pa. 

For  varied  favors  I  express  my  obligation  to  Secre- 
tary Fred  S.  Goodman,  Professor  Charles  P.  Fagnani, 
D.D.,  Professor  Thomas  S.  Hastings,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  and 
Mr.  William  R.  Utley,  New  York  City;  Professor  W. 
Brenton  Greene,  Jr.,  D.D.,  Princeton,  N.  J. ;  President  G. 
Stanley  Hall,  LL.D.,  Worcester,  Mass.;  Rev.  William 
James  Mutch,  Ph.D.,  New  Haven,  Conn. ;  Secretary  C.  T. 
Holm,  Middleboro,  Mass. ;  Rev.  J.  N.  Nutting,  Howard, 
R.  I.;  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.D.,  Philadelphia;  Rev.  John 
L.  Keedy,  Lysander,  N.  Y. ;  Miss  Jenny  Mackie,  Newport, 
R.  I. ;  Mrs.  M.  P.  Higgins,  Worcester,  Mass. ;  and  Rev. 
F.  G.  Cressy,  Chicago,  111. 

I,  too,  am  indebted  to  those  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation secretaries  who  kindly  aided  me  with  certain  ad- 
dresses, and  to  those  publishing  houses  which  courteously 
placed  before  me  some  of  their  valued  publications.  I 
have  also  to  make  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  kindly 
assistance  of  Miss  Margaret  Y.  Murray  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  certain  material,  and  in  some  helpful  criticisms 
and  suggestions.  For  all  kindnesses  I  can  but  again  hum- 
bly express  my  thanks,  and  record  my  sense  of  gratitude 
and  obligation.  G.  W.  M. 

Newport^  R.  I.,  October,  1903. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

Preface^ v 

Salutation, xxiii 

I.    The  New   Evangelism   and  the  Revival  of  the 

Teaching  Function  of  the  Church.  .        .        .        i 

I.  We  are  now  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  greatest  religious 
revivals  ever  known.  i.  This  declaration  counter  to  the 
general  impression.  2.  The  new  revival  two-fold:  revival 
of  personal  work  and  of  the  teaching  function  of  the 
Church  within  local  congregations.  3.  Evidences  of  and 
gain  of.  II.  Why  speak  of  a  revival  of  the  teach- 
ing function  of  the  Church?  i.  Duty  of,  lost  sight  of 
these  many  years.  2.  The  place  of  "teaching"  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  and  in  the  history  of  the  Church.  (i)  The 
prominence  of  teaching,  or  of  the  Sabbath-school,  in  early 
Jewish  traditions.  (2)  The  prominence  of  the  Sabbath- 
school  in  the  Old  Testament.  (3)  The  prominence  of  the 
Sabbath-school  according  to  contemporaneous  history.  (4) 
The  prominence  of  the  Sunday-school  in  the  teaching  of  the 
New  Testament.  (5)  The  prominence  of  the  Sunday-school 
in  the  early  centuries  of  the  Christian  era.  3.  Loss  of 
the  school  idea  ^.s  the  Church  grew  worldly  and  formal.  4. 
Revival  of  the  school  idea  in  the  Reformation  and  under 
Robert  Raikes.  5.  Our  need  of,  and  hope  in,  the  present 
revival  of  the  teaching  function  of  the  Church. 

II.     The  Strategic  Work  of  the  Church,      ...      15 

a.  Magnitude  of  Church  work.  I.  The  Church's  criminal  neg- 
lect of  teaching  and  training  children,  a.  Breadth  of 
church  work;  wherein  it  has  failed.  b.  Non-church-goers 
are  largely  Protestants,  c.  The  secret  of  the  power  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  over  her  people.  d.  The  Society 
of  Jesus  arresting  the  Reformation  by  training  the  chil- 
dren of  combatants,  e.  Early  recognition  of  the  value  of 
child  training  by  the  Jesuits.  f.  Visible  neglect  of  youth 
by  Church  of  to-day.  II.  Reasons  why  Church  should 
instruct  and  care  for  youth.  i.  Future  of  Church  requires 
it.  2.  Saving  of  youth  requires  it.  3.  Vigor  of  opposing 
forces.  4.  Overwhelming  social  distractions.  5.  Youth  do 
not  know  how  to  care  or  choose  for  themselves.  III.  Prac- 
tical resultant  principles. 

xi 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

III.  The  Graded  School  and  Outlines  of  Study,  Sup- 

plemental  Lessons,  and   How  to   Organize  a 
Graded   School, 24 

a.  Inspiring  restilts  of  graded  schools,  b.  Definition  of  a  graded 
school.  c.  Advantages  of  system.  I.  Outlines  of  Bible 
courses  and  Supplemental  Lessons.  i.  Graded  supple- 
mental courses  with  International  Lessons.  2.  Unique 
graded  course  for  study  of  doctrines,  requirements  of 
Church,  and  principles  of  Bible  study  of  the  Church  of  the 
Messiah,  Brooklyn.  3.  Bible  study  Union  Course.  11. 
Miscellaneous  requirements  of  graded  schools.  III.  Mis- 
cellaneous suggestions  in  operating  the  graded  school.  IV. 
Graded  examinations,  plan  of,  etc.  V.  How  to  organize 
a   graded   school. 

IV.  The    Cradle    Roll,    Kindergarten    or    Beginners' 

Class,  and  the  Primary  Department,      .        .      47 

a.  Foundation  work.  b.  The  problem  of  Christianity  is  here 
solved.  I.  Cradle  Roll.  i.  Enrolment.  2.  Usual  meth- 
ods of  recognizing  the  membership  of  the  baby.  3. 
"Guardian  Angel."  4.  Mite-box  for  the  babies.  5.  A  cradle 
for  enrolment  cards.  II.  Kindergarten.  i.  Place  of  in 
Sunday-school.  2.  Time  of.  3.  Teacher,  suggestions  for 
preparation  and  methods  of.  4.  Suggestive  exercises,  and 
a  pen  picture  of  a  working  Kindergarten.  III.  Primary 
Department.  Practical  plans  for  class  work.  i.  Need  of 
definite  programme.  2.  Order  of  exercises,  (a)  Object  of 
these  exercises,  (b)  Specimen  programme,  (c)  Need  of 
varying  programme,  (d)  Memorizing  verses,  (e)  Sug- 
gested helps.  3.  Subject  matter  of  lessons.  4.  Method  of 
teaching.  5.  Encouraging  little  ones  to  learn  text  and  les- 
son, a.  Rewards.  b.  Reports.  6.  Special  programmes 
and  invftations.  7.  Offerings,  a.  Need  of  teaching  the  pur- 
pose of,  b.  Use  of  envelopes.  c.  Keeping  "object"  of  the 
giving  before  the  children.  d.  Songs  and  prayers  at  the 
time  of  the  birthday  offering.  8.  Acquaintance  with,  and 
use  of,  methods  used  in  other  departments.  9.  Suggested 
helpful  books. 

V.    Adult,  Young  Men's,  and  Young  Women's  Bible 

Classes, 65 

0.  Need  of  adult  classes.  b.  Success  of  adult  classes.  I.  Ways 
of  enlisting  and  holding  adults  in  Bible  study.  a.  Courses 
of  study  must  be  suited  to  age  and  capacity  of  adults,  b. 
Possible  courses  of  study,  (i)  Courses  of  study  of  Bible 
Study  Publishing  Company.  (2)  Courses  of  study  by  Amer- 
ican Institute  of  Sacred  Literature.  (3)  Miscellaneous 
courses,  and  courses  of  the  International  Committee  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  for  boys  and  men.      c.   Best    methods    of    class 

xii 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  p^^^ 

administration.  II.  Young  men's  Bible  classes.  a.  A 
hopeful  work.  b.  Ways  of  holding  boys  and  young  men, 
a  new  movement,  Baraca  classes,  etc.  III.  Young  women's 
Bible  classes.  a.  Methods  of.  b.  A  new  movement:  the 
Philathea    classes. 

VI.     Systems  of  Marking  and  of  Promotion,  Graduat- 
ing Exercises,  Certificates  and  Diplomas,       .      8i 


VII.     Opening    and     Closing     Exercises,     and     Order 
OF  Services, 

a.  The  principles  underlying  this  work.  b.  Essential  features  of 
and  plans  for.  I.  Opening  exercises,  aids  and  features  of, 
II.  Closing  exercises.  a.  Time  of  deepening  impressions. 
b.  Suggestive  plans.  c.  Teaching  from  the  superin- 
tendent's desk,  when  wise  and  when  otherwise.  III.  Se- 
curing and  holding  attention.  a.  The  personality  and 
examples  of  teachers  and  officers.  b.  Promptness  as  a  fac- 
tor, c.  Insisting  on  quiet.  d.  The  persuasive  force  of  a 
"silent"  superintendent.  e.  Doing  away  with  the  bell. 
IV.  Order  of  services,  meaning  and  special  provision  of. 
y.  The  general  services  subservient  to  the  teaching  and 
inculcating   of   the    lesson. 

VIII.     Ways  of  Awakening  and  Maintaining  Interest 
in  Bible  Study, 

a.  The  Bible,  increasing  interest  in,  and  the  need  of  man.  i. 
Letters  to  parents  from  the  Sunday-school.  2.  Use  of  the 
Bible  in  the  school,  a.  The  Bible  instead  of  the  lesson 
quarterly,  b.  Scholars  to  bring  their  own  Bibles,  (i) 
Call  for  a  show  of  Bibles.  (2)  Made  part  of  require- 
ments for  standing,  percentage,  banner  classes,  etc.  c.  Find- 
ing places  in  the  Bible  for  reading,  etc.  d.  Home  study 
slip.  3.  Use  of  the  Bible  in  the  home.  a.  Bible  reading 
courses  with  requirements  and  rewards,  b.  Bible  reading 
slips  and  certificate,  c.  Bible  story-telling,  with  requests  for 
Scripture  references.  d.  Memorizing.  (i)  Requirement 
for  membership  in  the  Park  Church  School,  Elmira,  N.  Y. 
(2)  Outlines  of  memory  work,  and  plans  of  three  other  nota- 
ble schools.  4.  Special  drills  on  Bible  history,  promises, 
facts  and  people,  a.  Supplemental  Bible  Question  Course. 
John  B.  Smith's  book.  b.  Chart  drills  of  Classon  Avenue 
Sunday-school,  Brooklyn.  (i)  Requirements  of  the  school 
work.  (2)  Illustration  of  the  chart  abbreviations.  (3) 
Certificate  of  Biblical  scholarship,  c.  Oral  drills  in 
a  Dubuque,  la.,  school,  d.  Outline  chart  of  Old 
Testament  history.  e.  "Supplemental  Work"  cards.  5. 
Map     drawing,     a.    Value     of.     b.    Directions     for     draw- 

xiii 


91 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

ing.  c.  Where  outline  maps  may  be  obtained.  6. 
Review  work,  weekly  and  quarterly,  importance  and  value 
of.  a.  Weekly  blackboard  review.  h.  Quarterly  review, 
"quarterly  or  semi-annual  special"  prepared  by  John  B. 
Smith,  c.  Class  work  supplemented  by  oral  review  from  the 
desk.  d.  Written  tests  and  work.  (i)  Examination  ques- 
tions. (2)  The  varied  plan  of  the  Plymouth  Congrega- 
tional school,  Toledo,  Ohio.  (3)  Compositions  and  word 
pictures.  (4)  Exhibition  of  scholars'  work.  e.  Reviews 
in  care  of  a  special  committee,  a  suggestive  plan.  f.  Stere- 
opticon  reviews.  (i)  Success  of.  (2)  Plans  of.  (3) 
Where  slides  can  be  obtained.  g.  Review  Sunday  par- 
ents' day.  h.  Special  suggestions,  (i)  Drill  in  the  work 
of  the  missionary  boards.  (2)  Catechism  "Spelling 
Match."  7.  Maintaining  continuity  of  work.  a.  Vacation 
Outlines.  h.  Attendance  record  cards.  c.  Making  special 
days  of  "vacation"  Sundays.  8.  Plan  for  magnifying  Bible 
work  in  the  minds  of  schools.  9.  Using  day-school  meth- 
ods in   Sunday-school  teaching. 

IX.    Ways   of   Securing   Regular   and   Punctual   At- 
tendance AND  Perfect  Records,  ....     127 

I.  General  atmosphere  of  quiet  regularity  and  promptness.  Plans 
of  two  notable  schools.  2.  The  help  of  home  influence,  and 
of  influence  upon  the  home.  a.  Requirement  of  parents' 
support  by  Olivet  Sunday-school,  New  York.  h.  Rule  of 
Park  Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y.  c.  Invitations,  reports,  etc., 
to  parents.  d.  Birthday  letters  and  cards.  3.  Encourage- 
ment of  pupils  through  faithful  systems  of  records.  a. 
Teachers'  report  of  absentees.  h.  Permanent  records  in 
bound  volumes  and  on  cards,  c.  Absent  attendance  cards. 
4.  Various  aids  for  encouraging  attendance  and  "perfect 
records.'  a.  Star  and  maltese  cross  to  mark  class  at- 
tendance. 6.  Class  charts  with  markings  of  gold  and  red 
stars,  c.  Printed  Honor  Roll  and  diploma,  c.  Honor  Roll 
of  J.  S.  Eberhart  and  Son,  marked  success  of.  e.  Honor 
Roll  of  Christ  Congregational  Church,  New  York.  f.  Black- 
board records.  g.  Framed  record  of  class  with  largest  at- 
tendance for  month.  h.  Profile  record,  i.  Weekly  record 
of  classes  with  perfect  attendance.  /.  Average  monthly 
records  read  publicly.  k.  Cards  for  punctual  attendance 
to  be  redeemed  with  a  reward.  /.  Certificates  for  punctual 
attendance.  m.  Individual  record  cards.  n.  Seal  charts 
for  perfect  records  of  individual  scholars.  o.  Seal  chart, 
and  Roll  of  Honor  for  various  records  of  classes,  p.  Roll 
of  Honor  for  class  records  of  attendance,  offerings,  and 
church  attendance.  q.  Printing  of  honor  lists  in  church 
paper  and  on  programmes.  r.  Special  summer  plans.  (i) 
Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Philadelphia, 
"Hot  Weather  Spartans."  (2)  Park  Avenue  Baptist  Sun- 
day-school,  Plainfield,  N.   J.,  cardboard  fish  and  certificate. 

xiv 


CONTENTS 

HAPTER  PAGE 

s.  Honor  Day.  t.  Miscellaneous  suggestions,  (i)  Ban- 
ners, gilt  stars,  etc.,  for  special  occasions.  (2)  Organized 
classes,  class  secretaries  and  class  librarians.  (3)  Class 
colors,   banners,   mottoes,   flowers   and   names. 


Ways  of  Holding  and  Regaining  Absent  Schol- 
ars,     154 

Necessity  of  stopping  fatal  leakage.  2.  Teachers'  reports 
of  absent  pupils.  a.  Weekly.  b.  Monthly.  c.  Special  to 
the  pastor.  3.  Superintendent's  part  in  "holding"  and  re- 
gaining absent  members.  a.  Notification  to  teachers  of 
continued  absence,  b.  Calling  or  sending  letters  to  absen- 
tees, c.  Return  postal  cards.  4.  Absentee  committee.  5. 
Sunday-school  visitor  or  missionary.  6.  Special  occasions 
as  opportunities  for  reaching  pupils  of  continued  absence. 
7.   Cards   of   dismissal   to   other   schools. 


XI.    Ways  of  Reaching  and  Securing  New  Scholars,     162 

a.  Successful  plans  of.  The  Sunday-school  its  own  agency. 
I.  Encouraging  the  members  of  the  school  to  bring  new 
scholars,  a.  Award  of  Certificate  of  Honor,  b.  Awards  of 
cards  and  Bibles,  c.  Certificates  of  merit  and  other  awards 
for  successive  new  scholars,  d.  Contests,  (i)  School  di- 
vided into  (a)  five  companies,  with  colors  and  banners. 
(6)  Two  companies  under  care  of  leaders,  (c)  Two  sides 
with  colors.  (2)  Awards  by  system  of  credits  and  banners 
to  successful  classes  of  "sides."  (3)  Autograph  buttons 
and  prizes.  (4)  Honor  list  of  the  ten  classes  bringing  in 
the  most  new  scholars.  e.  Miscellaneous  awards.  (i) 
Bronze,  silver  and  gold  medals.  (2)  Money  for  mission 
fund.  (3)  Medal  for  bringing  the  largest  number  of 
new  scholars  during  the  year.  (Remark:  Guarding 
against  drawing  scholars  from  other  schools.)  (4)  Honor 
Roll  and  gold  seals.  (5)  Receptions.  (6)  Roll  of  recruit 
ing  officers.  2.  Miscellaneous  plans,  a.  Welcoming  com 
mittee  at  church  services,  b.  Registration  cards  for  visitors, 
c.  Department  of  extension:  district  plan  and  permanen 
visitation  committee.  d.  Obtaining  the  names  of  non 
Sunday-school-goers  through  report  blanks  of  scholars,  e 
Invitations,  letters  and  enrolment  cards.  3.  House-to-house 
visitation,  a.  Blank  form  for  canvas.  b.  Different  plans 
of.  c.  Success  of.  4.  Members  of  a  school  as  home  mis- 
sionaries. The  ideal  church.  5.  Importance  of  suitable 
reception  and  care  of  new  pupils.  a.  Superintendent  of 
classification.  b.  Registering  name  in  school  album.  c. 
Enrolment  blanks,  d.  Teacher's  slip  and  cards.  e.  Pledge 
card.  /.  Card  of  greeting  to  new  member.  g.  Certificate 
of  membership.       h.  The   Divine   Spirit,  the  final  secret. 

XV 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XII.    Ways  of  Securing  Church  Attendance,  .        .        .183 

I.  The  Church  and  the  children,  a.  Need  of  training  the  young 
in  church-going  habits,  b.  Failure  of  parents  to  realize  the 
child's  need  of  the  Church.  c.  Practical  value  of  attending 
public  service.  d.  Penalty  of  failing  to  secure  the  children 
for  the  Church.  2.  Methods  of  interesting  children  in 
Church.  a.  Enlisting  support  of  parents.  b.  Keeping 
church  services  before  the  children.  (i)  Announcement 
of  church  services  in  the  Sunday-school,  a  special  plan  of. 
c.  Recognizing  church  attendance,  (a)  In  the  class  records. 
(b)  Call  from  the  desk  for  those  who  attended  service,  (c) 
Made  part  of  secretary's  report.  (d)  Made  standard  for 
ranking,  (e)  Requirement  for  "perfect  mark."  (f)  Go-to- 
Church  Band,  plan  of,  success  of.  (g)  Use  of  text-books. 
(h)  Use  of  church  attendance  cards.  (0  Sermon  outlines, 
plan  of;  system  of  making  awards,  value  of.  d.  Keeping 
record  of  church  status  of  every  pupil.  e.  Value  of  per- 
sonal interest  and  example.  3.  Need  of  "indoctrinating" 
pupils  in  offices  of  Church,  etc. 


XIII.     Special   Days   with    Special   Services,   .        .        .194 

I.  Rally  Day.  a.  Purpose  and  names,  b.  Rally  Day  in  relation 
to  Reunion  Day.  c.  Rally  Week.  (i)  Special  invitation 
cards  through  special  post-offices.  (2)  Visiting.  (3)  Pro- 
gramme, Cradle  Roll  reception,  class  reunion.  d.  Invita- 
tions, e.  Programmes.  (i)  Usual  and  special.  (2)  Blue 
ribbon  programme — badge.  2.  Children's  Day.  3.  Grad- 
uation Day.  4.  Parents'  Day.  a.  Purpose  of.  b.  Invita- 
tion cards.  c.  All  special  days — parents'  days.  5.  Old 
Folks'   Day.       6.     Special   days   common   to   old   and   young. 

a.  Aim  of.  (i)  Christmas  and  Thanksgiving.  (a) 
Days  for  pupils  to  give,  (b)  Christmas,  a  time  of  giving 
to  pupils,  a  new  plan  of.  (c)  Giving  and  receiving.  (2) 
Thanksgiving  or  Harvest  Home  Festival,  value  and  plans 
of.  (3)  New  Year's  Day.  (a)  Festival  and  pound  party 
for  the  occasion.  (b)  For  social  intercourse,  (c)  Cards 
of  greeting.  (4)  Easter.  (5)  Independence  Day.  (a) 
Spirit  of  and  programmes.  (b)  Invitation  cards.  (c) 
Presentation  of  flag  and  gifts  of  flags.  7.  Miscellaneous 
special   days  and   gatherings.       a.  Annual   picnic   or   outing. 

b.  Social  times  for  classes  and  departments,  c.  Lectures, 
concerts  and  entertainments  for  the  school,  free.  d.  En- 
tertainments for  the  school  only.  e.  Meeting  the  social 
need  of  pupils,  urgency  of.  8.  The  children  in  the  Sun- 
day-school entertainment.  a.  Protecting  the  pupils.  b. 
Children's  voices  most  appreciated.  c.  Avoiding  danger 
of  m.aking  the  child  conspicuous.  9.  Our  ultimate:  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  and  the  service  of  His  Kingdom. 

xvi 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  p^^g 

XIV.     Offerings, 208 

o.  Urgency  of  teaching  the  duty  and  privilege  of  giving,  i. 
Ways  of  inculcating  the  spirit  of  giving,  a.  The  envelope 
system,  plan  and  value  of.  b.  Two  class  envelopes:  confi- 
dential and  missionary,  c.  Two  funds:  sustaining  and 
benevolent,  d.  Secretary's  report  of  class  rank  in  giving, 
a  successful  plan.  e.  The  Frank  A.  Ferris  system,  large 
results  of.  f.  The  Penny  Fund.  g.  Awarding  of  ban- 
ners, h.  Profile  record  chart  for  attendance  and  offering. 
i.  Birthday  gifts,  (i)  Birthday  box.  (2)  Birthday  prayer. 
(3)  Birthday  song.  (4)  Entertainments  for  birthday 
"divisions."  (5)  Roll  and  gold  stars.  (6)  Special  gifts 
for  "little  orphans."  /.  Special  offerings,  (i)  Sealed  box 
for  Christmas  contributions.  (2)  Letters  to  pupils  urging 
each  to  share  in  spreading  Christmas  joy.  (3)  Recognition 
cards  as  awards  for  special  offerings.  k.  Tithing,  revival 
and  results  of.  2.  Various  ways  of  Sunday-school  sup- 
port, and  various  uses  of  Sunday-school  collections. 


XV.    Libraries, 


221 


Opportunity  of  the  Church  school  in  its  library.  (1) 
To  supplant  evil  of  overabundance  of  bad  literature. 
(2)  To  feed  active  minds  of  children.  (3)  To  exert  pow- 
erful influence  in  the  right  way  through  wisely  selected 
books.  (4)  Helpfulness  of  Sunday-school  library  versus 
town  library.  a.  In  its  closer  relation  to  the  individual. 
b.  In  its  ability  to  adapt  and  guide  reading.  c.  In  its 
opportunity  to  hold  children  to  the  Church.  2.  Books  in 
the  Sunday-school  library,  a.  Kind.  b.  Selection  of.  c. 
Methods  of  securing.  (i)  Setting  aside  certain  stated 
sum.  (2)  Endowment.  (3)  Special  collections.  (4)  Book 
social.  3.  Divisions  of  library.  (1)  One  general  library; 
main  and  primary;  main,  intermediate  and  primary.  (2) 
Special  missionary  library.  (3)  Teachers'  library,  (a)  Sug- 
gested books  for.  (b)  Suggested  methods  of  circulating. 
4.  Cataloguing  and  care  of  books.  5.  Distribution  of  books. 
(i)  Choosing  of  books  for  pupils  by  librarian.  (2)  Card 
system,  value  and  plan  of.  6.  Miscellaneous  suggestions. 
a.  Librarian's  report,  b.  Value  of  weekly  distribution  of 
papers,  c.  Opening  of  Sunday-school  library  as  a  reading- 
room  during  the  week.     7.  The  librarian. 


XVI.    Missions, 

I.  Missionary  schools  the  growing  schools.  II.  Methods  of  in- 
teresting children  in  missionary  work.  i.  Subject  and 
method  of  teaching.  2.  Organized  missionary  societies. 
a.  The  school  as  a  missionary  society,  b.  Mission  band. 
c.  Missionary  Reading  Circle,  d.  A  local  school  organized 
as  "The  South  American  Missionary  Company";  application 

xvii 


232 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

blank,  stock  certificates.  3.  Missionary  days  with  special 
programmes.  a.  Monthly.  b.  Quarterly.  c.  Yearly.  4. 
Selecting  special  objects  for  which  to  work.  III.  Mis- 
sionary offerings,  i.  Honor  recognition  of  the  best  giving 
missionary  classes.  a.  Nominating  some  one  for  life  mem- 
bership in  the  society.  b.  Banners  and  flags.  2.  "Inas- 
much as  ye  have  done  it."  3.  Special  plans  for  securing 
missionary  money,  a.  Keeping  school  informed,  and  schooled 
in  systematic  beneficence.  b.  Regular  and  special  Sunday- 
school  collections  for  missions,  c.  Good  results  of  giving  to 
special  objects.  d.  Class  missionary  envelope,  e.  Birth- 
day box.  f.  Pledge  system,  (i)  Pledge  class  sheet.  (2) 
Class  pledges  with  secretary  in  charge.  IV.  Missionary 
committees.  V.  Practical  missionary  work  by  the  mem- 
bers  of   the   school. 


XVII.    Decision   Day, 242 

I.  The  supreme  end  of  Sunday-school  work.  2.  Results  of  pur- 
poseful work.  a.  Numbers  brought  into  the  church.  b. 
Increase  of  power  in  the  school.  c.  Influence  upon  the 
homes  of  the  pupils.  3.  Decision  Day.  a.  What  it  is 
and  why  it  is.  b.  When  it  is  observed.  4.  Plans  and 
preparation  for  Decision  Day.  a.  Considering  the  spiritual 
problems  of  pupils  and  classes.  b.  Teachers'  and  officers' 
prayer  meetings  preceding  Decision  Day.  c.  Superintend- 
ent's letter  to  teachers.  d.  Living  in  the  spirit  of  Decision 
Day.  e.  Urgent  need  of,  in  the  light  of  new  teaching  re 
garding  "conversion."  5.  Exercises  for  the  day.  a.  Spe 
cial  devotional  exercises,  earnest  and  spiritual.  b 
"Conversation  time,"  personal  word  of  teacher  in  class 
c.  A  new  Decision  Day  "card,"  value  of.  d.  Closing  exer 
cises.  e.  Preaching  service  in  keeping  with  the  day.  6 
After    plans. 


XVIIT.    Communicants'  Classes, 252 

a.  Anecdote  of  Sandy  and  his  "hundred  commandments."  b. 
Ignorance  of  fundamentals  of  the  Christian  faith.  i. 
Value  of  communicants'  class  instruction,  a.  The  strong 
Christian  is  the  informed  Christian.  b.  People  desire  to 
know  what  they  believe  and  why  they  believe.  c.  Clarifies 
and  classifies  knowledge,  "rivets  and  clinches"  truth.  2. 
Growing  recognition  of  the  urgent  necessity  of  com- 
municants' classes.  3.  Communicants'  classes,  and  plans 
of,  in  various  churches.  4.  Subjects  and  outlines  of  lec- 
tures for  communicants'  classes.  Booklet  for  class  study 
or  home  reading.  5.  Class  work.  a.  Time  of  meeting, 
and  method  of  teaching.  b.  Who  should  attend?  c.  How 
to  start  a  class.       6.  Bibliography. 

xviii 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

XIX.     Home  Department, g 

I.  History  of  the  Home  Department.  a.  Origin.  h.  Growth 
2.  Object  of  the  Home  Department.  3.  Organization. 
a.  Superintendent.  h.  Visitors.  c.  Classes.  d.  Study 
helps  and  encouragements,  button  badges,  diplomas,  etc. 
e.  Method  of  recording  study  and  contribution.  4.  Ob- 
jections to  the  Home  Department  answered,  a.  Increase  in 
Church  school.  h.  Increase  in  church  membership  and 
strength.  5.  How  to  organize  a  Home  Department  a 
Secure  interest  and  help  of  the  pastor.  h.  Invite  some 
informed  speaker  on  the  subject,  c.  Appointment  of 
suitable  superintendent.  d.  Visitors  securing  their  own 
class  members.  e.  Personal  work  and  visitation  through 
committees.  6.  Suggestions,  a.  Meeting  of  visitors  and 
officers  for  conference.  b.  Value  of  reports,  invitations, 
etc.      c.  Privileges  of  Home  Department  members. 


272 


XX.     Teachers  and  Methods  of  Teaching,  . 

I.  Teachers.  i.  Spiritual  and  intellectual  requisites;  how  to 
study  the  new  pedagogical  principles.  2.  Deepening  in 
teachers  their  sense  of  personal  responsibility,  a.  The  future 
of  the  child,  and  of  the  Church  in  their  making,  b.  The 
teacher  of  first  consideration  in  Sunday-school  organization. 
c.  Pledge  cards,  appointment  letter  and  installation  service. 
3.  The  placing  of  teachers.  4.  Helpful  aids  for  teachers 
in  their  work;  suggestions,  printed  slips  and  cards.  5. 
Extent  of  teachers'  work  as  suggested  by  various  report 
blanks.  II.  Methods  of  teaching,  a.  The  law  of  adaptation: 
method  must  be  suited  to  pupil's  needs.  b.  Classification 
of  methods,  (i)  Socratic,  or  question;  (2)  recitation; 
(3)  object;  (4)  lecture;  (5)  seminar.  c.  Epitome  of  sug- 
gestions in  methods  of  teaching.      III.    Helpful  literature. 

XXI.     Teachers'    Meetings, 287 

I.  Weekly  teachers'  meeting.  (i)  Purpose  of.  (2)  Time  of. 
(3)  Leadership  of.  (4)  Ways  of  making  meetings  help- 
ful^ and  interesting,  and  methods  of  conducting.  a.  Teach- 
ers' tea,  discussion,  prayer,  and  various  plans  of  studying 
the  lesson.  b.  Study  of  the  lesson.  Normal  work,  and  sug- 
gestions for  the  improvement  of  the  school  combined. 
c.  Use,  and  list,  of  suggestive  questions.  2.  Special  weekly 
meeting  for  prayer.  3.  Monthly  and  quarterly  meetings, 
(i)  Purpose:  business  or  review.  (2)  Methods  of  con- 
ducting, a.  Illustrated  talk.  b.  Short  talks  by  teachers, 
suggested  by  cards.  c.  Questions  handed  in  for  discus- 
sion, d.  Monthly  social.  4.  Annual  banquet.  (i)  Pur- 
pose  of.       (2)     Suggestive    invitations. 

xix 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXII.    Ways  of  Securing  New  and  Substitute  Teach- 
ers,      294 

I.     Securing    new    teachers.      a.  Necessity    of    choosing    teachers. 

I.  Ways  of  securing  new  teachers.  2.  Application  blanks 
for  new  teachers.  3.  A  new  principle  controlling  the 
growing  need  of  teachers.  II.  Securing  substitute  teach- 
ers, a.  Standard  of  requirement,  b.  Ways  of  securing  re- 
liable substitutes.  (i)  By  pledge  cards.  (2)  From  Sun- 
day-school committee  of  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  (3) 
Substitute  Teachers'  Corps.  (4)  Permanent  lists  of  sub- 
stitutes, (s)  Selection  by  the  teacher  at  the  beginning  of 
the   year.       (6)   Miscellaneous   plans. 

XXIII.  Normal  Classes, 299 

I.  Normal  class.  a.  Need  of.  b.  Possibility  of.  c.  Purpose 
of.  d.  Place  of.  e.  Value  and  growth  of.  2.  Organiza- 
tion. 3.  Class  work.  4.  Courses  of  study,  (i)  Courses  in 
method.  (2)  Courses  in  Bible  study,  (a)  Chautauqua  Nor- 
mal Union  outlines,  (b)  "The  Sunday-school  Teachers'  Nor- 
mal Course."  (c)  Courses  of  the  American  Institute  of  Sa- 
cred Literature,  (d)  "Legion  of  Honor  Normal  Bible  and 
Training  Lessons."  (e)  Outlines  by  denominational  Pub- 
lishing Boards.  5.  Need  of  adapting  courses  to  needs  of 
class. 

XXIV.  Superintendent, 306 

I.      General  requirements,  and  the  new  ideal  for  superintendents. 

II.  Special  suggestions.  i.  Avoidance  of  unnecessary 
talking.  2.  Securing  quiet  and  order.  3.  Personal  ac- 
quaintance with  teachers  and  pupils,  a.  Through  teachers' 
meetings,  b.  Annual  receptions,  c.  Inviting  new  scholars 
to  superintendent's  home.  d.  Letters  of  inquiry  to 
absent  pupils.  e.  Birthday  cards  of  greeting.  4.  Accu- 
rate knowledge  of  doings  of  the  school.  a.  Personal 
memorandum  and  record  book.  b.  Record  blanks  of  two 
highly  successful  superintendents.  5.  System  in  work 
a.  Value  and  duty  of.  b.  Apportioning  of  work,  (i)  Com- 
mittees. (2)  Associate  superintendent.  (3)  "Superin- 
tendent's Aids"  of  young  men.  (4)  Meetings  of  the 
executive,  or  superintendent's,  cabinet.  (3)  Keeping  in 
touch  with  the  Church  and  minister.  6.  The  superintend- 
ent tabulating  new  suggestions,  and  keeping  abreast  of  the 
improved  methods.  7.  Helpful  books  and  current  peri- 
odicals. 

XXV.  The  Development  of  the  Local  Church  and 
School  through  Sunday-school  Extension 
Work,  International  and  State  Sunday- 
school  Associations,  Denominational 
Sunday-school  and  Publishing  Boards, 
AND  THE  Religious  Education  Association,    317 

XX 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXVI.     Sunday-school  Supplies  and  Furnishings,      .    326 

I.  Arrangement  of  the  school-room,  and  advantages  of  modern 
architecture.  2.  Blackboards,  maps,  etc.  3.  Mimeograph 
and  Printing  press.  a.  Value  of  printer's  ink.  b.  Mimeo- 
graph, (i)  Various  uses  of.  (2)  The  Edison  for  larger 
schools.  (3)  "Home-made"  for  smaller  schools.  4.  Sun- 
day-school paper.  5.  Stereopticon.  6.  Pictures,  models,  etc. 
7.    Where    supplies   can   be    obtained. 

XXVII.     Organization, 331 

I.  Organization  an  underlying  principle,  its  importance,  spirit 
and  effect.  II.  Mobilizing  the  work.  How  correlate  the 
parts,  making  them  mutually  helpful?  i.  The  Executive, 
cabinet  or  board  of  managers;  how  comprised  and  the  work 
of.  2.  The  selection  and  election  of  officers,  various  tact- 
ful and  successful  ways  of.  3.  The  appointment  of  teach- 
ers. 4.  The  secretary's  report.  a.  Special  value  and 
nature  of.  b.  Aided  by  report  slips  of  teachers,  c.  Prepa- 
ration of.  d.  "The  Modern  Methods  Sunday-school  Class 
Book."  5.  Special  officers  for  special  work.  a.  Superin- 
tendent of  classification,  various  duties  of.  b.  Birthday 
secretary.  c.  Directors  of  departments,  and  principals 
of  divisions,  d.  Committees.  6.  The  pupils'  part  in 
school  organization,  and  the  law  of  spiritual  development. 
7.  Model    constitution   and   by-laws. 

XXVIII.    The  Relation  of  the  Pastor  to  the  Sunday- 
school,        345 

I.  Necessity  and  urgency  of  the  work  of  the  pastor  in  the 
Sunday-school.  2.  The  relation  of  the  pastor  to  laymen. 
3.  The  pastor  the  responsible  head  of  the  school.  »a.  Rec- 
ognition of  accountability  of  pastor  for  Sunday-school 
work.  b.  Effects  of  such  recognition.  (i)  Increase  of  in- 
terest and  membership  in  school.  (2)  Larger  part  of 
church  work  given  to  Sunday-school.  (3)  Increase  of 
membership  of  church.  4.  Plans  of  successful  pastors. 
a.  Pastor  as  superintendent,  b.  Pastor's  normal  talk. 
c.  Pastor's  personal  record  of  attendance.  d.  Special  ser- 
mons, e.  Avoiding  any  suggestion  of  demarcation  be- 
tween church  and  school.  5.  Value  of  Sunday-school  to 
the  Church,  a.  In  training  workers,  b.  In  supplying  help- 
ers of  pastor,  (i)  Pastor's  Aid  Society.  (2)  Home 
Department  committees.  6.  Need  of  pastors  having  clear, 
definite  ideas  of  work  and  methods.  a.  Failure  of  Theo- 
logical Seminaries  to  equip  students  for  this  work.  b.  Need 
of  constant,  progressive  study. 

XXIX.     A   Plea   for   Less   Preaching   and  for   More 

Teaching, 354 

Index, 37i 

xxi 


SALUTATION 

"I  wonder  if  he  remembers — 

Our  sainted  teacher  in  Heaven— 
The  class  in  the  old  gray  schoolhouse 
Known  as  the  'Noisy  Seven'? 

"I  wonder  if  he  remembers 

How  restless  we  used  to  be, 

Or  thinks  we  forget  the  lesson 

Of  Christ  and  Gethsemane? 

"I  wish  I  could  tell  the  story 
As  he  used  to  tell  it  then; 
I'm  sure  that,  with  Heaven's  blessing, 
It  would  reach  the  hearts  of  men. 

"I  often  wish  I  could  tell  him, 

Though  we  caused  him  so  much  pain 
By  our  thoughtless,  boyish  frolic. 
His  lessons  were   not  in  vain. 

"I'd  like  to  tell  him  how  Willie, 
The  merriest  of  us  all. 
From  the  field  of  Balaclava, 
Went  home  at  the  Master's  call. 

"I'd  like  to  tell  him  how  Ronald, 

So  brimming  with  mirth  and  fun. 
Now  tells  the  heathen  df»  India 
The  tale  of  the  Crucified  One. 

"I'd  like  to  tell  him  how  Robert, 

And  Jamie,  and  George,  and  'Ray,' 
Are   honoured  in   the   Church   of  God— 
The  foremost  men  of  their  day. 

xxiii 


SALUTATION 

"I'd  like,  yes,  I'd  like  to  tell  him 

What  his  lesson  did  for  me; 
And  how  I  am  trying  to  follow 
The   Christ  of  Gethsemane. 

"Perhaps  he  knows  it  already, 
For  Willie  has  told,  maybe, 
That  we  are  all  coming,  coming, 
Through  Christ  of  Gethsemane. 

"How  many  besides  I  know  not 

Will   gather   at  last  in   Heaven, 
The  fruit  of  that  faithful  sowing. 
But  the  sheaves  are  already  seven." 

Anonymous. 


XXIV 


MODERN    METHODS 
IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  NEW  EVANGELISM,  AND  THE  REVIVAL  OF  THE  TEACH- 
ING  FUNCTION   OF   THE   CHURCH 

*'Go  TEACH."  We  are  conscious  of  changed  conditions 
in  every  department  of  thinking.  So  vast  have  been  these 
changes  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  comprehend  the 
Zeitgeist  and  new  order  of  society.  But  the  progress  is 
upward.     All  moves  as  to 

"One  far-off,  divine  event." 

The  Church  also  has  gone  forward.  A  new  life  throbs 
at  its  centre.  We  are  in  the  open  of  a  new  era,  with  its 
refreshing  draught  full  upon  us ;  and  we  are  in  the  midst 
of  one  of  the  mightiest  religious  revivals  that  has  ever 
grasped  the  world!  True,  the  eyes  of  some  are  holden, 
like  the  disciples  on  the  Emmaus  way,  and  they  are  yet 
praying  and  hoping  for  a  revival,  unmindful  that  there 
has  been  given  better  than  they  asked;  not  the  kind  for 
which  they  prayed,  but  a  larger,  more  potent.  Is  this 
declaration  counter  to  the  general  impression?  I  know 
there  are  apostles  of  despair  who  see  not  one  ray  of  hope 
on  the  dark  horizon  of  disbelief;  amid  all  our  vaunted 
progress,  they  see  gathering  storms  and  coming  desola- 
tions; they  mourn  that  the  religious  revival  has  lost  its 
power,  that  there  are  now  no  ''great  revivals,"  that  few 
evangelistic  crusades  are  found  in  the  religious  life  of  the 

I 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

present  time,  and  declare  that  the  Church  has  fallen  on 
evil  days.  Others  strenuously  deny  that  certain  phases 
of  religious  activity  have  passed  away,  or  try  to  explain 
the  cessation  of  their  use  as  sort  of  a  parenthesis  in  church 
life, — but  with  feeling  concern  are  asking,  "What  of  the 
future?"  I  am  cognizant  also  of  the  fact  that  those 
particular  religious  revivals  which  were  such  a  factor  in 
the  religious  life  of  a  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  are 
not  such  a  factor  now.  Our  religious  journals  have  vig- 
orously discussed  the  situation ;  some  have  tried  to  explain 
the  failure  of  evangelistic  effort  in  recent  years  as  due  to 
"gross  caricatures  practised  by  peripatetic  emotional- 
ists ;"  ^  others  are  of  the  opinion  that  "the  revival  may 
continue  to  be  made  a  potent  factor  in  the  quickening 
of  religious  life."  ^  Both  the  explanation  of  the  failure, 
and  the  argument  that  the  revival  may  be  made  a  potent 
factor,  are  recognition  that  it  is  not  such  a  factor  now. 
Indeed,  Mr.  Dwight  L.  Moody,  several  years  before  he 
died,  acknowledged  that  the  unchurched  masses  no  longer 
came  to  his  meetings  as  in  the  former  days  of  his  great 
revivals;  that  his  mission  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life 
appeared  to  be,  in  the  providence  of  God,  with  Christian 
people.  Has  a  greater  than  Mr.  Moody  appeared  to  take 
his  place?  When  I  say  that  I  have  been  a  friend  of 
"revivals"  these  many  years,  and  have  co-operated  in 
many  evangelistic  crusades,  I  can  hardly  be  charged  with 
prejudice  when  I  further  say,  that  through  experience, 
and  after  careful  and  extended  study  of  evangelistic  cru- 
sades in  later  years,  it  is  my  profound  conviction  that  the 
religious  revivals  of  the  nineteenth  century  sort  have  lost 
their  power,  and  are  a  hindrance  rather  than  a  help  to 

^The  Advance  (Chicago,  Cong.),  The  Presbyterian  (Phila- 
delphia), The  Watchman  (Boston,  Bapt.),  The  Christian 
Register  (Boston,  Unit.),  quoted  in  the  Literary  Digest,  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1902,  p.  223.  'Ibid. 


THE  NEW  EVANGELISM 

churches  in  the  great  work  of  the  Kingdom.  They  are 
not  suited  to  this  age ;  they  do  not  reach  the  unchurched ; 
they  do  not  appeal  to  the  earnest,  spiritual,  and  reliable 
workers  of  our  churches,  but  to  the  sentimentalists  and 
capricious,  who  are  ready  for  any  new  thing  rather  than 
the  sacrifice  of  perseverance  and  hard  plodding  required 
for  the  true  work  of  the  true  church.  In  saying  this 
we  are  not  condemning  revivals.  We  use  the  words 
"revivals  of  the  nineteenth  century  sort"  advisedly.  For 
now  there  is  a  revival  of  a  different  sort.  Exactly  what 
is  this  new  revival  ?  We  say  "new"  only  because  its  truth 
once  suffered  eclipse.  It  is  as  old  as  our  most 
holy  religion,  and  stands  on  the  teachings  of  the  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  on  the  authority  of  the  Strong  Son 
of  God.  This  revival  is  twofold,  being  (i)  a 
revival  of  personal  work,  and  (2)  a  revival  of  the 
teaching  function  of  the  Church.  As  such  this  re- 
vival is  differentiated  from  the  revivals  under  White- 
field,  Finney,  Mills,  and  Moody,  whose  work  was  through 
great  union  meetings,  for  which  the  largest  halls  were 
scarcely  adequate,  and  with  meetings  marked  by  great 
emotions,  moving  communities  to  their  depths, — this  re- 
vival of  present  time  is  differentiated  from  all  this  in  that 
it  is  a  movement  within  the  local  congregations.'^  Indi- 
vidual churches,  while  not  asking  for  the  professional 
evangelist,  do  welcome  for  a  service  or  two  the  man  who 
can  give  them  larger  visions  of  God  and  of  duty,  and  stir 
the  people  to  co-operate  with  pastor.  This,  doubtless, 
was  Mr.  Moody's  thought  in  saying  that  his  later  work 
appeared  to  be  with  Christian  people.  In  other  words, 
Mr.  Moody  was  used  of  God  to  stir  people  to  personal 
work,  to  bring  the  Gospel  to  the  unsaved,  and  the  unsaved 
to  the  Saviour.      I  believe  that  Mr.  Moody  saw  advance 

^  The    New    Evangelism,    by    Tennis    S.  Hamlin,    D.D.,    The 
Christian  Work  and  Evangelist,  p.  19,  January  3,  1903. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

and  gain  in  setting  the  Church  to  work,  instead  of  doing 
the  work  for  them.  Indeed,  he  said :  "It  is  better  to  set  ten 
men  to  work  than  to  do  the  work  of  ten  men."  In  earher 
years  Mr.  Moody  "worked  outside  of  the  churches,  though 
never  lacking  full  sympathy  with  them.  Still,  it 
was  difficult  to  gather  into  the  organized  life  of  the 
churches  the  converts  of  his  great  meetings,  and  many 
scattered.  The  average  evangelist  finds  it  difficult  to 
work  in  due  subordination  to  pastors  and  their  plans ;  his 
labors,  even  when  apparently  fruitful,  are  too  often  un- 
settling, and  in  the  end  almost  disastrous."  ^ 

But  the  present  movement  of  personal  work  is  free  from 
such  perils;  the  Church  is  magnified,  and  its  people  are 
being  charged  with,  and  stirred  by,  their  responsibility  to 
do  the  work  of  evangelists,  and  to  so  lift  up  Christ  by 
word  and  life  that  He  will  be  commended  to  the  accept- 
ance of  associates  and  individuals  as  their  Lord  and  per- 
sonal Saviour!  This,  therefore,  a  revival  of  personal 
work,  is  one  part  of  the  New  Evangelism. 

The  efficacy  of  this  first  part,  however,  rests  upon  the 
second  part,  namely,  the  revival  of  the  teaching  function 
of  the  Church.  The  efficacy  of  the  former  rests  upon  the 
latter,  because  personal  workers  must  be  able  to  meet 
the  needs  of  men  out  of  the  Scriptures,  as  Philip  met  the 
needs  of  the  Ethiopian.  Training  and  equipment  are  es- 
sential for  personal  work !  That  a  great  revival  of  Bible 
STUDY  throughout  the  Christian  world  is  coincident  with 
the  revival  of  personal  work  markedly  shows  the  hand  of 
God.  That  which  assures  us  in  the  present  movement  is  that 
it  is  "built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  pro- 
phets, Jesus  Christ  Himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone."  ^ 
The    Holy    Scriptures    were    never    so    widely,    thor- 

^  The    Neiv    Evangelism,    by    Tennis    S.  Hamlin,    D.D.,    The 
Christian  Work  and  Evangelist,  p.  19,  January  3,  1903. 
*  Eph.  2 :  20. 


THE  NEW  EVANGELISM 

oughly,  intelligently,  helpfully  and  inspiringly  stud- 
ied and  taught  as  to-day.  What  is  the  evidences  of  this — 
evidence  that  there  is  a  revival  of  the  teaching  function 
of  the  Church  ?  We  have  time  only  to  suggest  the  proof 
of  this  assuring  fact.  First  we  mention  the  supreme 
world  interest  in  the  recent  Denver  convention  of  the  In- 
ternational Sunday-school  Association.  No  work  of  this 
association  had  ever  been  followed  with  such  wide,  close 
and  profound  interest  as  its  work  at  the  Denver  conven- 
tion. A  few  months  later,  in  February,  1903,  the  religious 
world  was  stirred  by  the  Chicago  Convention  for  Re- 
ligious Education,  when  recognized  leaders  of  the 
world's  best  thought,  presidents  of  universities  and  col- 
leges, and  eminent  divines,  organized  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  "religious  and  moral  education,"  pre-eminent 
consideration  being  given  to  the  advancement  of  the  work 
of  Sunday-schools  through  the  improved  methods.  An- 
other evidence  of  the  revival  of  the  teaching  function  of 
the  Church  is  the  larger  provision  and  plans  of  the  Sun- 
day-school Boards  of  the  several  Protestant  denomina- 
tions. The  action,  too,  of  the  Presbyterian  General  As- 
sembly at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  in  its  last  annual  meeting,  in 
appointing  a  committee  to  consider  the  subject  of  method 
and  means  looking  to  a  forward  movement  in  Christian 
education  in  the  home,  the  Sunday-school,  etc.,  is  also 
indicative  of  the  thought  of  to-day. 

In  advance  of  this,  notable  lecture  courses  have  recently 
been  given  under  the  auspices  of  the  Sunday-school  Com- 
missions of  Dioceses  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
for  the  discussion  of  the  principles  of  religious  education, 
looking  to  the  improvement  of  the  Sunday-schools.  I  refer 
to  such  lectures  as  were  delivered  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Sunday-school  Commission  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  in 
St.  Bartholomew's  Church  in  the  autumn  of  1899.  Simi- 
lar, if  less  pretentious,  lecture  courses  have  been  given 

5 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

under  various  auspices  of  other  denominations  of  the 
great  Protestant  body.  The  nature  of  all  these  lectures 
has  forcibly  shown  that  there  is  a  new  conception  of  the 
basic  principles  underlying  Sunday-school  work,  and  pro- 
portionate conception  of  the  larger  and  grander  oppor- 
tunities of  that  work. 

Again,  the  conference  of  Sunday-school  workers  at 
Winona  Lake  in  August,  1903,  under  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  International  Sunday-school  Association,  was 
one  of  unusual  scope  and  significance,  including  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Lesson  Committee,  the  Lesson  Editors  and 
Writers,  the  Denominational  and  Independent  Lesson 
Publishers,  the  Vice-Presidents  and  all  the  officers  of  the 
International  Convention,  the  officers  of  the  State,  Pro- 
vincial and  Territorial  Organizations,  Field  Workers, 
and  many  other  friends  of  organized  Sunday-school 
work. 

The  increasing  enrolment  of  students  in  the  American 
Institute  of  Sacred  Literature  is  also  suggestive  of  the 
spread  of  Bible  study.  This  work  was  started  so  recently 
as  1893,  with  an  enrolment  of  1,500  students,  but  the 
present  enrolment  is  over  10,000.  The  most  of  these 
men  and  women,  doubtless,  are  preparing  themselves  to 
teach. 

Along  with  these  organized  efforts  for  the  promotion 
of  Bible  study,  there  has  been  parallel  work  in  the  subject 
of  Child  Study.  It  is  especially  this  that  has  given  rise 
to  the  new  education.  For  twenty-five  years  this  work 
has  been  growing  in  prominence,  increasingly  contrib- 
uting valuable  and  sometimes  startling  results,  which  are 
''forcing  a  restatement  of  several  pedagogical  principles 
and  a  general  readjustment  of  school  work  and  meth- 
ods." ^     Already  the  secular  schools  have  yielded  to  the 

^  The  Study  of  the  Child,  Explanatory,  p.  xvi.,  by  President 
A.  R.  Taylor,  Ph.D. 

6 


THE  NEW  EVANGELISM 

new  requirements ;  and  now  our  Sunday-schools  are 
adopting  improved  methods  by  reason  of  the  same  under- 
lying principles.  This,  too,  shows  the  revival  of  the 
teaching  function  of  the  Church. 

But  more  significant  than  all  this  is  the  increasing  work 
that  is  being  accomplished  in  Sunday-schools  that  are 
using  the  improved  methods.  Indeed,  the  surprising  re- 
sults in  such  schools  are  arousing  the  thought  of  the 
Church  to  the  value  and  opportunity  of  more  thorough, 
sane  and  scientific  ways  of  conducting  Bible-schools  and 
Bible  study.  By  way  of  suggestion  of  the  value  of  new 
methods,  I  here  tabulate  the  results  in  certain  schools. 
Calvary  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Washington,  D.  C,  on 
November  i,  1882,  had  a  total  membership  of  630;  on  No- 
vember I,  1888,  it  had  a  membership  of  658,  rep- 
resenting a  net  gain  of  28  in  six  years,  or  an  average  of 
4  2-3  per  year  for  the  period  immediately  preceding  the 
departmental  organization.  On  November  i,  1889,  nine 
months  after  the  reorganization  with  graded  lessons,  etc., 
the  school  had  increased  to  850,  and  on  November  i, 
1890,  to  1,061,  showing  a  gain  of  403  in  twenty-one 
months.  This  school  has  retained  the  gain,  and  gone  for- 
ward with  yearly  increase,  notwithstanding  the  changes 
of  population  incident  to  the  Capital  City,  the  present  en- 
rolment being  2,077. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  of  Newport, 
R.  I.,  organized  as  a  graded  school  with  attendant  im- 
proved methods  in  January  of  last  year,  and  in  that  one 
year  increased  in  membership  142-7%  and  increased  in 
average  attendance  34%. 

The  increase  of  Christ  Congregational  Sunday-school, 
Mount  Hope,  New  York  City,  where  the  church  year 
runs  from  June  14  to  June  13,  inclusive,  is  shown  by  the 
general  statistics  of  the  school  on  the  following  page.  To- 
tal enrolment  on  June  13,  1898,  136. 

7 


MODERN    METHODS    IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

1898-99  1 899- 1 900  1900-01  1901-02  1902-03 

To  t  a  1  e  n  r  ol- 
ment    156  178         243         221        264 

Total  attend- 
ance          4,922       5,704      7,389      6,858     7,293 

Total     Sunday 

collections    ..  .$140.24  $175.47  $227.03  $217.35  $235.24  $   995-33 

Total    receipts.  .  221.33    251.15     319-54    354-72    393.01     1,53975 

Total  expendi- 
ture     232.90    222.15    272.54    324.14    320.40     1,372.24 

Average  Sun- 
day  collection      2.98        3.73        4.83        4.83        4.90 

Six  years  ago  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Ashe- 
ville,  N.  C,  had  a  membership  of  185,  with  an  average 
attendance  of  140  or  150,  with  a  debt  of  $100  on  the 
school,  and  with  no  progress,  the  school  being  kept  to- 
gether by  a  few  faithful  ones  as  a  matter  of  duty.  Now 
this  school  numbers  nearly  600,  is  active,  energetic,  pro- 
gressive, and  with  corresponding  spiritual  blessings. 

Other  references  to  further  splendid  results  of  similar 
schools  are  made  on  various  pages  of  this  volume.  That 
this  work  is  spiritual  is  evinced  by  the  thousands  of  young 
people  that  have  come  into  the  membership  of  churches 
through  it.  All  that  has  been  said  of  the  schools 
just  mentioned,  by  way  of  concrete  illustration,  can  be 
said  of  hundreds  of  other  schools.  In  extended  study  of 
this  work,  I  know  not  of  one  school  that  has  failed  of 
large  gains,  both  numerically  and  spiritually,  through  the 
improved  methods. 

Yet  with  all  that  one  can  say,  or  prophet  can  picture, 
who  can  grasp  the  sweep  and  the  promise  of  the  revival 
of  Bible  teaching?  It  means  coming  generations  of 
"Bible  Christians."  It  means  coming  church  people  with 
a  "strong  backbone  of  conscious  fidelity  to  truth  and 
submission  to  law."  We  are  all  agreed  with  the  Rev. 
Charles  Hodge,  D.D.,  who  said :  "It  is  one  of  the  clearest 

8 


THE  NEW  EVANGELISM 

principles  of  divine  revelation  that  holiness  is  the  fruit  of 
truth;  and  it  is  one  of  the  plainest  inferences  from  that 
principle  that  the  exhibition  of  the  truth  is  the  best  means 
of  promoting  holiness."  ^  Are  we  not  also  agreed  with 
Chrysostom  ?  who  said :  ''Here  is  the  cause  of  all  our  evils, 
our  not  knowing  the  Scriptures." 

This,  then,  comprises  the  new  evangelism  of  to-day  (at 
least,  on  its  practical  side)  :  the  revival  of  personal  work; 
and  the  revival  of  the  teaching  function  of  the  Church, 
placing  larger  emphasis  on,  and  enlisting  larger  numbers 
in,  the  studied  Word.  How  vast  and  incalculable  the 
gain  of  the  Church !  The  gain  of  the  Pentecostal  idea — 
when  all  the  Lord's  people  were  prophets,  when  all  were 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  all  were  personal  workers,  all 
prayed,  all  taught,  all  told  of  salvation  through  Jesus 
Christ;  with  the  result  that  thousands  were  "pricked  in 
their  hearts,"  and  confessed  Christ  as  Lord.  Our  fur- 
ther gain  through  the  revival  of  personal  work  and  the 
revival  of  the  teaching  function  of  the  Church  is  the  gain 
of  Bible  study  and  of  Bible  Christians :  the  gain  of  a  con- 
tinuous revival  instead  of  a  spasmodic;  the  gain  of 
church  people  doing  essential  spiritual  work  in  place  of 
waiting  for  some  one  to  do  it  for  them ;  the  gain  of  the 
widening  and  deepening  of  the  spirit  of  missions;  and 
the  gain  of  the  Christian's  individual  recognition  that  he 
is  called  of  God  for  service,  appointed  and  ordained  as 
a  missioner  and  evangel  of  Jesus  Christ.  With  all  this 
gain  we  yet  say :  "Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained ;" 
but  with  this  great  revival  here,  and  God-given,  we  are  in 
the  way  of  possessing  the  full  blessing.  Will  we  rise  to 
our  opportunity?  In  the  light  of  what  already  is  being 
done,  we  have  most  reasonable  belief  that  the  Church  will 
triumphantly  advance,  maintain  a  vital,  strenuous  spir- 
itual life,  and  Christianize  the  secularizing  spirit  of  the 
^The  Way  of  Life,  p.  3. 
9 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

age.     This  the  Church  is  doing!      And  this  the  Church 
will  do! 

Now  a  question :  Why  should  we  speak  of  the  revival 
of  the  teaching  function  of  the  Church?  Because  the 
part  and  prominence  of  teaching,  as  set  forth  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, has  been  lost  sight  of  these  many  years. 
Preaching  has  been  so  magnified  as  to  belittle  teaching. 
But  teaching  comes  before  us  with  no  less  a  claim  than 
preaching.  The  latter  does  not  have  precedence  over  the 
former;  nor  does  the  former  over  the  latter.  Thomas 
Fuller,  in  1661,  said  of  the  ''Faithful  Minister" :  ''He  doth 
not  clash  God's  ordinances  together  about  precedence — 
not  making  odious  comparisons  betwixt  prayer  and 
preaching,  preaching  and  catechising,  public  prayer  and 
private,  premeditate  and  extempore."  What,  then,  is  the 
history  of  the  teaching  function  of  the  Church?  What 
place  has  teaching  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church  ? 

1.  The  prominence  of  teaching,  or  of  the  Sabbath- 
school,  in  early  Jewish  tradition.  There  are  many  tradi- 
tions of  Jewish  schools  for  religious  instruction  that  carry 
us  back  into  antiquity,  past  trustworthy  history.  But 
these  traditions,  like  those  of  the  synagogues,  speak  for 
the  power  and  influence  of  these  institutions.  The  rabbis 
say  that  Methuseleh  was  a  teacher  before  the  flood,  and 
that  Shem  and  Eber  had  a  "house  of  instruction"  after 
it ;  that  Abraham  was  a  pupil  of  Melchizedek ;  and,  simi- 
larly, traditions  are  given  of  Jacob  in  his  work  at  the 
Bible-school ;  also  of  Moses,  who  was  said  to  have  been 
at  the  head  of  a  large  school,  and  of  Joshua,  Deborah  and 
Barak,  Samuel,  Elisha,  and  of  others  on  down  through 
the  subsequent  centuries. 

2.  The  prominence  of  the  Sabbath-school  in  the  Old 
Testament.  Here  we  read  explicitly  of  a  system  of 
schools  for  religious  instruction.    Three  hundred  of  Abra- 

10 


THE  NEW  EVANGELISM 

ham's  family  had  been  "instructed"  in  them  (Gen.  14: 
14)  ;  the  children  of  Hezekiah  attended  them  (2  Chron. 
28 :  24 ;  29 :  3 )  ;  the  reform  under  Jehoshaphat  was 
through  the  teaching  of  ''the  book  of  the  law"  (2  Chron. 
17:7-9);  and  with  Nehemiah,  after  the  captivity,  we 
have  description  of  the  complete  Bible-school,  fully 
organized  and  officered  (Neh.  8:  1-8). 

3.  The  prominence  of  the  Sabbath-school  according  to 
contemporaneous  history.  Josephus  declares  that  from 
the  days  of  Moses  the  Jews  assembled  every  Sabbath  to 
hear  the  law,  and  "to  learn  it  accurately;"  and  that  so 
thorough  was  the  instruction  of  the  young  in  the  law  that 
one  "would  more  easily  repeat  all  than  his  own  name." 
Jewish  schools  for  Bible  study  were  eventually  established 
throughout  Palestine.  And  so  basal  and  far-reaching 
was  this  work  upon  the  nation  that  it  gave  rise  to  a 
maxim,  "If  you  would  destroy  the  Jews,  you  must  destroy 
the  schools."  These  schools,  too,  were  graded,  with 
suited  courses  of  study  for  each  grade ;  the  primary  grade 
learning  passages  of  Scripture,  the  older  grades  studying 
the  Jewish  commentaries.  Likewise  the  chief  purposes 
of  the  synagogues  were  for  the  study  and  teaching  of  the 
law.  Schiirer  says :  "The  main  object  of  these  Sabbath- 
day  assemblages  in  the  synagogue  was  not  public  wor- 
ship in  its  strictest  sense;  that  is,  not  devotion,  but  re- 
ligious instruction,  and  this  for  an  Israelite  was,  above 
all,  instruction  in  the  law."  ^  Such  Bible-schools  were 
for  more  advanced  work,  and  were  in  addition  to  the  ele- 
mentary Bible-schools. 

4.  The  prominence  of  the  Sunday-school  in  the  teach- 
ing of  the  New  Testament.  Trumbell  declares  that  syna- 
gogues, with  their  accompanying  Bible-schools,  were 
found  in  all  the  towns  and  villages  of  Palestine,  and  in 
many  Gentile  cities  beyond,  where  any  considerable  num- 

^ist.  Div.  IL,  Vol.  II.,  p.  54. 
II 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ber  of  Jews  had  their  temporary  home  (Acts  9:2,  20; 
13:5,  14,  15,  43;  14:1;  15:21;  17:1,  17;  18:4,  7,  8, 
17,  26;  22:19;  24:12;  26:11.^)  It  is  beHeved  that 
Jesus  attended  one  of  these  schools  in  Nazareth.  We 
certainly  have  explicit  account  of  His  sitting  in  the  midst 
of  the  doctors,  or  teachers,  asking  and  answering  ques- 
tions. Furthermore,  is  it  not  said  of  Jesus  that  He  was 
"a  Teacher  come  from  God"?  And  what  is  the  ''great 
commission"  of  Jesus  but  this :  "Go  teach,"  "go,  make 
disciples  or  learners."  The  interlocutory  method  of  teach- 
ing in  the  Jewish  schools  was  the  method  largely  used  by 
Jesus,  and  the  method  subsequently  followed  by  the  apos- 
tles. 

5.  The  prominence  of  the  Sunday-school  in  the 
centuries  of  the  Christian  era.  The  Jewish  system  of 
schools  for  religious  instruction  was  followed  by  the  early 
Church,  and  the  rapid  spread  of  Christianity  over  the 
civilized  world  in  less  than  three  hundred  years  from  the 
death  of  St.  John  is  attributed  to  this  system  of  teach- 
ing. So  povi^erful  and  influential  were  these  schools 
that  Julian  the  Apostate  issued  an  edict  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury Anno  Domini,  suppressing  Christian  teachers  from 
these  schools,  which  he  desired  to  control.  Yet  these 
schools  abounded.  But  in  the  growing  centuries,  as  the 
Church  grew  worldly  and  formal,  it  grew  proportion- 
ately less  spiritual,  "making,"  says  Proudfit,  "more  of  a 
splendid  ritual  than  of  a  pure  faith,  and  magnifying 
church  orthodoxy  above  vital  piety;  .  .  .  and  catechet- 
ical instruction,  of  course,  declined."  ^  It  is  signifi- 
cant, impelling  solicitous  reflection,  that  more  than  one 
historian  attributes  the  decline  of  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
Church  in  the  Middle  Ages  "to  the  neglect,  by  the  Church, 

^Yale  Lectures  on  the  Sunday-school,  p.  17. 
^  "Catechetical   Instruction  before   the    Reformation,"    in   Van 
Rensselaer's  Home,  the  School,  and  the  Churchy  Vol.  IV.,  p.  48. 

12 


THE  NEW  EVANGELISM 

of  its  educational  function."  Historians  have  also  pointed 
out  that  better  and  purer  life  has  come  as  the  Bible  has 
been  more  faithfully  taught  and  studied.  Luther  placed 
the  Bible  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  and  a  great  religious 
awakening  followed.  So  in  subsequent  periods.  Lord 
Mahon  says  that  the  Sunday-school  organized  by  Robert 
Raikes  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  the  national  life 
of  England.^  Green,  the  English  historian,  speaking  of 
the  effect  of  Raikes'  work  on  England's  dark  and  trou- 
bled days  following  the  American  Revolution,  says:  "It 
was  then  that  the  moral,  the  philanthropic,  the  religious 
ideas  which  have  moulded  English  society  into  its  pres- 
ent shape  first  broke  the  spiritual  torpor  of  the  eighteenth 
century."  ^  Trumbull  says  that  "America  has  been 
practically  saved  to  Christianity  and  the  religion  of  the 
Bible  by  the  Sunday-school."  ^  Yet  how  far  we  are  from 
the  Bible  idea  and  ideal!  Who  would  say  of  England 
or  of  the  United  States,  "If  you  would  destroy  the  na- 
tion, you  must  destroy  the  religious  schools"?  Thirteen 
millions  of  children  and  youth  in  our  country  never  cross 
the  threshold  of  a  Bible-school,  either  Protestant  or  Ro- 
man Catholic.  The  prevailing  neglect  of  public  worship 
is  appalling !  Again,  Israel  has  gone  after  Baal.  Strange 
that  we  do  not  remember  the  divine  j  udgment  upon  Judah, 
"This  house  shall  become  a  desolation."  *  What  is  our 
hope?  Our  hope  is  in  return  to  God,  and  to  His  ways 
of  working.  We  are  here  to  work  as  well  as  to  worship. 
We  are  here  to  teach  as  well  as  to  preach.  It  is  clear  pre- 
sumption to  neglect  children,  and  then  expect  miracles  for 
their  reclamation  when  grown.  Formation  of  character 
is  greater   than   reformation   of   character,   because   the 

^Hist.  of  England,  Vol.  VII.,  pp.  493-4- 

^Hist.  of  the  English  People,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  292;  see  also,  ibid., 
IV.,  pp.  273-4. 
^Yale  Lectures  on  the  Sunday-school,  p.  122. 
*Jer.  22 :  5. 

13 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

former  spares  us  the  awful  necessity  of  the  latter.  God 
has  directed  that  we  shall  ''Go  teach,"  and  the  magnifi- 
cent work  that  is  being  accomplished  to-day  through  re- 
turn to  Bible  ways  of  working,  the  success  of  Bible- 
schools  in  reaching,  drawing,  holding  and  persuading 
thousands  of  our  youth,  is  evidence  of  how  God  has  em- 
powered His  Word,  and  has  ordained  that  teaching  as 
well  as  preaching  shall  have  part  in  the  progress  of  His 
Kingdom,  and  that  He  has  not  failed  His  people  in  His 
promise,  "Go  teach,  and  I  will  be  with  you  in  power." 


14 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   STRATEGIC   WORK   OF   THE   CHURCH 

"With  all  her  follies  and  crimson  stains,  Rome  goes  on  her  conquering 
way  because  she  knows  the  value  of  a  child." — Charles  E.  Jefferson,  D.D. 

"He  who  builds  the  Church  of  Christ  must  save  the  children.  If  we 
save   the   children,   we   save   the   world." — Constans   L.    Goodell,    D.D. 

I.  With  all  the  magnificent  work  that  the  Church  has 
accomplished,  the  difficulties  that  have  confronted  it,  the 
enemies  that  have  beset  it,  the  thousand  kindly  ministries 
that  engage  it,  the  sublime  purpose  to  preach  the  Gospel 
through  all  the  world  that  animates  it, — with  all  this  upon 
the  mind  and  heart  of  the  Church  it  would  be  strange,  in- 
deed, if  it  had  not  left  some  things  undone,  and  stranger 
still  if  it  had  always  done  in  the  best  way  the  things  that 
it  has  done.  As  one  who  loves  the  Church,  believes  in  it, 
and  in  its  ultimate  triumph,  and  as  one  who  appreciates 
the  magnitude  of  its  work  and  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  doing  it,  I  yet  am  impelled  to  say  that  our  Protestant 
churches  have  been,  and  to  a  large  extent  are,  criminally 
negligent  of  adequate  Christian  training  of  their  chil- 
dren. Such  Christian  nurture  is  a  small  part  of  the  teach- 
ing function  of  the  true  Church,  and  yet  during  all  these 
years  when  the  Church's  duty  of  teaching  has  been  mis- 
takenly limited  to  children,  even  then  our  churches  have 
been  criminally  negligent ! 

It  has  been  carefully  estimated  that  less  than  30%  of 
our  population  are  regular  attendants  upon  Church 
services  of  worship ;  that  perhaps  20%  are  irregular  at- 
tendants, while  fully  one-half  of  the  people  of  the 
United   States  never  attend  any  service,   Protestant  or 

15 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Roman  Catholic !  ^  Who  are  these  non-church-goers  ? 
They  are,  for  the  most  part,  of  Protestant  birth  and  affiha- 
tions.  Roman  CathoHcs,  whatever  else  they  may  do 
or  may  not  do,  are  faithful  church  attendants.  Whatever 
may  be  said  of  the  doctrines  and  methods  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church,  it  yet  remains  true  that  their  people 
are  obedient  to  her  requirements.  The  Roman  Catholic 
churches  are  filled  on  the  Sabbath ;  it  is  a  mortal  sin  to 
absent  one's  self  from  public  worship,  and  during  certain 
seasons  of  the  year  their  churches  are  filled  for  services 
of  worship  at  the  early  hour  of  five  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  filled  through  voluntary  attendance.  Can  the 
wildest  imagination  picture  Protestants  crowding  churches 
at  the  hour  of  five  o'clock  mornings?  Now,  call  the 
fidelity  of  the  Roman  Catholics  superstition;  call  their 
religion  superficial ;  say  that  their  people  are  not  the  better 
for  their  belief  (which  would  be  a  hard  saying)  ;  say  all 
that  it  is  possible  for  imagination  to  say,  the  fact  remains 
that  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  receives  from  her  people 
the  exact  things  that  she  asks  from  them :  observance  of 
all  church  requirements  and  appointments.  How  can  we 
explain  this  ?  There  is  only  one  possible  explanation,  and 
that  is  the  early  continuous,  studious  and  thorough  train- 
ing of  the  child!  If  children  can  be  so  trained  in  strange 
religious  and  superstitious  rites  as  to  be  controlled  by  such 
beliefs  through  all  the  later  years  of  life,  what  might  not 
be  accomplished  by  devoted  training  of  our  Protestant 
children  in  the  truth! 

Did  not  St.  Francis  Xavier  say,  "Give  me  the  children 
until  they  are  seven  years  old,  and  any  one  may  take  them 
afterwards"?  Did  not  Xavier  go  through  the  streets  of 
Goa  ringing  a  bell,  entreating  parents  and  householders 
to  send  their  children  and  slaves  to  be  instructed?  And 
be  it  said,  St.  Francis  Xavier  left  the  impress  of  his  teach- 
^  Dr.  Josiah  Strong,  The  New  Era,  p.  203. 
16 


THE  STRATEGIC  WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH 

ing  on  India.  And  how  did  Ignatius  Loyola,  the  founder 
of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  with  Lainez,  Aquaviva,  Xavier 
and  others,  despairing  of  turning  back  the  tide  of  battle 
against  Rome  and  her  institutions,  plan  to  save  their 
Church  ?  "They  conceived  the  plan  of  reaching  out  after 
the  children  of  the  combatants,  and  of  rearing  up  in  them 
a  new  generation  of  lovers  and  defenders  of  Rome."  ^  So, 
too,  the  first  work  of  the  Jesuits  was  for  the  young;  and 
history  records  that  by  training  of  youth  in  schools  they 
''arrested  the  Reformation  in  its  onward  and  apparently 
triumphant  advances."  The  principle  that  the  young  are 
the  hope  of  the  Church  has  never  been  forgotten  by  Jesuits 
and  Catholics.  It  is  for  us  now  to  recognize  that  it  is 
possible  to  train  children  so  that  when  grown  they  will 
remain  faithful  to  Christ  and  His  Church.  Yet  how 
vast  the  number  of  young  people  that  fall  away  from 
Bible-schools  and  become  a  part  of  that  great  army  of 
the  ''unchurched  masses." 

The  Church's  neglect  of  youth  is  seen  in  two  ways, 
(i)  Because  it  is  possible  for  the  Church  to  reach  and 
retain  our  youth.  Nine-tenths  of  those  who  come  into 
the  membership  of  the  Protestant  churches  in  our  country 
do  so  before  they  are  twenty  years  of  age,  and  83%  of  our 
communicant  membership  comes  from  the  Sunday-schools. 
(2)  The  Church's  neglect  is  further  seen  in  that  it  has 
permitted  multitudes  of  youth  to  drift  from  its  doors  for- 
ever into  the  world.  Through  a  comparison  of  the  number 
of  children  in  attendance  upon  Sunday-schools  with  the 
number  of  children  within  the  scholastic  age  of  five  and 
eighteen  years  as  reported  periodically  through  our  na- 
tional census,  we  may  say,  as  a  conservative  estimate,  that 
over  40%  of  the  Protestant  unchurched  masses  were  once 
within  the  pale  of  the  Church.  It  is  not  speaking  too 
strongly,  therefore,  to  say  that  the  Protestant  Church  has 
*  Porter's  Educational  Systems,  p.  4. 
17 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

either  been  strangely  ignorant  of  its  duty  or  criminally 
negligent  of  what  clearly  was  its  duty !  If  not,  then  why 
is  it  that  the  ''masses"  once  within  the  Church  were  not 
held?  We  do  not  ignore  the  forces  of  evil  and  the  sec- 
ular spirit  of  the  age.  Recognizing  all,  our  question  is 
yet  pertinent. 

The  Scriptures  emphasize  duty  to  children  in  emphatic 
ways.  "Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go :  and 
when  he  is  old,  he  will  not  depart  from  it."  ^  Have  you  a 
son  who  has  ''departed"  therefrom  ?  Do  you  know  a  Burns 
whose  life  and  genius  is  being  consumed  with  poignant 
remorse?  Many  are  the  bright  lads  who,  for  want  of 
guardianship  and  Christian  nurture,  have  suffered  indis- 
cretions,— with  the  result  that  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
grown  men  carry  with  them  through  life  burning  remorse, 
the  ghost  that  will  not  down,  and  habits  that  hold  like 
chains  of  steel !  Who  is  to  blame  ?  Perhaps  parents  are ; 
perhaps  brothers  or  sisters  are.  But  failure  of  a  home 
does  not  absolve  the  Church  from  its  responsibility ;  does 
not  justify  the  criminal  neglect  of  the  members  of  the 
Church,  of  which  these  sometime  prodigals  ought  to  have 
remained  an  integral  part !  It  was  duty  to  the  death  to 
have  nurtured,  trained  and  held  these  youth  in  the  way 
of  virtue,  and  in  the  beautiful  way  of  God.  If  there  are 
prodigals  in  our  families  and  in  our  churches,  the  fault  is 
ours!  Is  this  putting  the  truth  too  strongly?  Then 
listen  to  these  yet  stronger  words  from  such  a  man  as  the 
Rev.  G.  Campbell  Morgan :  "A  man  that  cannot  hold  his 
family  together  for  Christ  by  the  attractive  power  of 
Christ  in  his  own  life  isn't  wanted  in  the  Church ;  let  him 
keep  out.  That  man  cannot  do  anything  for  God  in 
public  places  if  his  own  home  is  devastated  and  broken 
up  by  the  principle  of  rebellion  against  God.  And  if  the 
influence  a  man  is  exerting  on  his  family  is  an  influence 
*  Prov.  22 :  6. 
i8 


THE  STRATEGIC  WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH 

that  scatters,  that  man  is  not  with  Christ.  If  you  are 
with  Christ,  hold  your  bairns  for  Him,  and  your  family 
will  be  God's  first  circle  of  the  Kingdom,  as  it  always  has 
been,  and  it  will  be  a  witness  to  the  power  of  Christ  in 
you  and  through  you  to  gather  men  together."  ^  The 
fault  is  ours.  How  many  promising  young  lives  have 
been  blighted,  how  many  brilliant  hopes  sadly  ended,  how 
many  a  young  man  in  his  strength,  walking  as  Carlyle 
said  of  Burns,  with  hoofs  of  fire,  his  path  in  the  heavens, 
but  ending  his  career,  like  Sampson,  blind  and  grinding 
corn  in  the  prison  of  those  who  once  had  been  his  servants, 
all  because  parents  and  churches  have  been  criminally 
negligent  of  the  religious  training  of  their  children  !  There 
are  many,  doubtless,  who  will  deny  this,  and  try  to  shield 
themselves  of  the  shame  of  its  truth.  To  such  I  believe, 
the  Son  of  Man,  who,  pointing  to  a  little  child,  said,  ''Of 
such  is  the  Kingdom,"  and  who  also  said  that  children 
are  His  representatives  and  that  if  we  neglect  them  we 
neglect  Him, — to  such,  I  believe,  the  Son  of  Man  is  say- 
ing, ''How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  to- 
gether, even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her 
wings,  and  ye  would  not !  Behold,  your  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate."  ^  Is  it  not  time  that  we  acknowledge 
our  sin,  and  address  ourselves  to  the  work  with  a  new 
purpose  ? 

11.  There  are  several  reasons  why,  as  churches,  we 
need  to  devote  ourselves  to  the  religious  instruction  and 
nurture  of  our  youth.  i.  The  future  of  the  Church 
requires  it.  The  question  facing  us  is  not  merely,  "What 
of  our  Church  to-day?"  but  also,  "What  of  the  Church 
of  to-morrow?"  "Lovest  thou  me?"  says  Jesus;  "then 
feed  my  lambs."  Not  until  He  speaks  the  second  time 
does  Jesus  say,  "Feed  my  sheep."  ^     Why?    Because  the 

^The  True  Estimate  of  Life,  p.  109. 
'  St.  Matt.  23 :  37,  38.  '  St.  John  21 :  15-17. 

19 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

lambs  are  the  hope  of  the  flock.  The  Church  of  the  future 
is  the  child  of  to-day!  I  sometimes  go  into  beautiful 
vineries  on  an  ocean  island,  and  I  have  marvelled  as  I 
have  looked  upon  sturdy,  strong  peach-trees  growing  flat 
against  the  wall,  spreading  out  like  the  leaf  of  a  great 
palm.  How  came  this  peculiar  and  beautiful  growth? 
It  was  so  trained  from  the  first  when  a  mere  twig ;  when 
young  and  pliant,  the  nature  of  its  growth  was  determined 
by  the  hands  that  tended  and  guided  it.  And  such  de- 
termining of  growth  is  quite  as  possible  of  people  as  of 
trees.  What  stronger  testimony  of  the  value  of  early 
religious  training  and  of  the  value  of  the  Sunday-school 
is  possible  than  the  fact,  namely,  that  8^%  of  all  who 
come  into  the  communicant  membership  of  churches 
come  from  the  Sunday-schools?  Yet,  when  the 
Sunday-school  was  first  organized  men  said,  "It  will  kill 
the  Church."  The  very  opposite  is  true.  It  has  saved 
the  Church;  but  for  the  Sunday-school  we  would  have, 
humanly  speaking,  no  Church  to-day.  Now  it  is  incon- 
trovertible, it  is  absolute,  a  statement  that  admits  no 
question  or  shadow  of  doubt,  that  if  we  truly  nurture  the 
children  to-day,  we  have  secure  the  Church  of  to-morrow ; 
that  if  we  truly  train  the  child,  we  have  saved  to  himself 
and  to  God  the  grown  man ! 

2.  This,  then,  the  saving  of  our  youth,  is  another  rea- 
son for  addressing  ourselves  to  the  Christian  nurture  of 
children.  Think  of  it,  70%  of  the  men  in  our  State 
penitentiaries  and  reformatories  are  young  men  un- 
der thirty-three  years  of  age!  Place  this  statement,  as 
you  ask,  "Who  is  to  blame?" — place  this  statement  along 
by  the  significant  words  of  Lord  Shaftesbury,  who,  speak- 
ing out  of  his  life-long  experience  and  study,  said  that  it 
had  been  his  observation  that  if  a  boy  is  kept  pure  and  true 
up  to  twenty  years  of  age  there  is  only  one  chance  in  fifty 
against  him  as  to  an  honorable  life  thereafter.    If  we  need 

20 


THE  STRATEGIC  WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH 

any  other  word  to  show  that  we  must  save  the  boys  if  we 
are  to  save  the  men,  we  have  but  to  recall  that  only  one  out 
of  ten  of  all  our  Church  communicants  have  come  into  the 
membership  of  the  Church  after  reaching  the  age  of 
tewnty-one. 

3.  Again,  there  is  urgent  reason  for  giving  ourselves 
to  the  Christian  nurture  of  youth,  because  the  assault  of 
Satan  is  on  this  possible  army  of  God.  See  the  adver- 
tisements in  newspapers  on  ''weakened  manhood"  and 
things  of  a  similar  nature  intended  to  entrap  our  boys ; 
see  the  tons  of  infamous  printing,  the  "nickel"  novels, 
immoral  pictures  and  other  ''literature"  that  poison  young 
minds. 

The  New  York  Society  for  the  Suppression  of  Vice 
have  seized  and  destroyed  82  tons  of  salacious  literature, 
obscene  pictures,  etc.  Among  things  of  a  similar  sort 
are  the  following :  Book  and  sheet  stock  seized  and  de- 
stroyed, 73,660  pounds ;  obscene  pictures  and  photo- 
graphs, 904,440 ;  negative  plates  for  making  obscene  pho- 
tographs, 9,387 ;  engraved  steel  and  copper  plates,  425 ; 
woodcuts  and  electro-plates,  1,033;  stereotype  plates  for 
printing  books,  28,050  pounds ;  lithographic  stones  seized 
or  destroyed,  58 ;  articles  for  immoral  use,  99,563 ;  circu- 
lars, catalogues,  salacious  songs  and  "poems,"  1,679,941. 
Awful  as  this  record  is,  the  half  has  not  been  told.  This 
society  is  still  prosecuting  its  needed  work  with  results 
yearly  that  show  the  perils  of  our  youth.  Mr.  Anthony 
Comstock,  secretary  of  the  society,  tersely  calls  the  deal- 
ers in  such  wares  "Moral  Cancer  Planters."  By  every 
possible  means  they  get  their  "literature"  and  advertise- 
ments into  the  hands  of  the  boys  and  girls  of  our  schools. 
Mr.  Comstock  says :  "Like  the  fiery  serpents  of  old,  they 
are  moving  amongst  these  millions  of  developing  souls, 
infecting  them  with  moral  leprosy — stinging  them  to 
death."     Again  he  says :  "Like  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  in- 

21 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

sidious  foes  enter  our  homes,  surround  our  hearthstones, 
invade  the  sleeping-rooms  of  our  children,  and  encompass 
our  youth  with  an  environment  worse  than  that  of  scor- 
pions and  adders."  ^ 

4.  In  addition  to  all  this,  the  ordinary  distractions  of 
social  life  are  almost  overwhelming.  Even  many  older 
persons  drift  on  the  currents  of  worldliness,  commercial- 
ism, materialism.  Sabbath  pleasure-seeking  and  social  dis- 
sipations that  surge  through  all  life.  How  is  it 
possible  to  counteract  such  influence?  The  public 
schools  do  not  teach  the  Word  of  God,  and  Christian 
training  in  a  vast  majority  of  homes  does  not  go  beyond, 
if  so  far,  as  the  simple  prayer,  *'Now  I  lay  me  down  to 
sleep."  For  asking  the  blessing,  ''There  is  no  time."  Fam- 
ily worship  is  a  lost  art.  Bible  study  at  home  is  the  excep- 
tion. How  many  Sunday-school  scholars  know  their  les- 
sons? It  falls  to  the  Church,  therefore,  to  do  what 
others  do  not  do  for  the  religious  instruction  and  training 
of  youth ;  and  it  falls  largely  and  naturally  to  that  depart- 
ment of  the  Church  which  we  call  the  Sunday-school. 

5.  There  is  yet  another  reason  why  the  Church  should 
be  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season  in  the  Christian 
nurture  of  children.  Because  they  do  not  know  how  best 
to  care  or  choose  for  themselves.  Even  older  per- 
sons are  sometimes  led  from  just  judgments  and  some- 
times are  led  into  evil.  Who  has  not  been  betrayed 
through  believing  an  untruth? — some  inference  or  insin- 
uation of  ''just  a  remark"?  Who  has  not  been  led  into 
habits  of  extravagance  through  the  examples  of  one's 
neighbors?  It  appears  impossible  to  escape  the  influence 
of  associations!  If  men  whose  characters  are  supposed 
to  be  settled  are  so  swayed,  what  may  not  be  the  danger 
of  youth  whose  characters  are  yet  pliable  and  only  now 
taking  form  ? 

^Traps  for  the  Young,  p.  ix. 
22 


THE  STRATEGIC  WORK  OF  THE  CHURCH 

III.  Conclusion.  Crystallizing  our  study  into  practi- 
cal principles,  we  enumerate  the  following :  Our  youth  are 
sure  to  meet  with  temptations  in  most  insidious  forms  the 
minute  they  cross  the  threshold  of  the  home  or  of  the 
Church  into  the  world ;  the  best  and  only  service  we  can 
render,  therefore,  is  to  fortify  them  against  temptation; 
and  to  render  such  service  we  must  do  the  utmost  possi- 
ble for  the  establishing  of  faith  and  character,  both  in 
the  home  and  the  Church ;  if  the  home  fails  to  do  its  part, 
the  Church  dare  not  fail  in  doing  her  part;  the  neglect  of 
the  one  but  increases  the  responsibility  of  the  other.  That 
the  Church  has  not  been  faithful  to  this  appointed  task  in 
nowise  justifies  neglect  now.  God  can  forgive  the  past. 
We  alone  can  redeem  the  future. 

With  such  impelling  thoughts  upon  the  necessity  of  the 
Christian  nurture  of  youth,  we  see  the  widening  of  the 
scope  of  Sunday-school  work ;  the  urgency  of  the  teaching 
function  of  the  Church ;  the  desperate  need  of  religious  in- 
struction and  training  of  youth  because  the  children  of  to- 
day are  the  Church,  or  the  unchurched  masses,  of  to-mor- 
row ;  because  the  saving  of  our  youth  requires  such  work ; 
because  the  favorable  time  of  reaching  them  religiously  is 
now;  because  the  assault  of  Satan  is  on  this  possible 
army  of  God ;  because  the  ordinary  distractions  of  social 
life  are  almost  overwhelming ;  because  youth  do  not  know 
how  best  to  care  and  choose  for  themselves ;  and  we  see 
also  the  imperative  demand  that  the  Church  shall  more 
largely  co-operate  with  the  Bible-school  and  the  Bible- 
school  with  the  Church,  until  we  shall  identify  Church 
and  school,  saying  that  the  one  is  in  the  other  and  the 
other  in  the  one,  and  that  both  are  as  salt  and  light  in  this 
darkling  world. 


23 


CHAPTER  III 

THE    GRADED    SCHOOL    AND    OUTLINES    OF    STUDY,    SUPPLE- 
MENTAL   LESSONS,    AND    HOW    TO    ORGANIZE 
A  GRADED  SCHOOL 

The  graded  Sunday-school.  The  inspiring  results  of 
this  new  system  impel  our  interest  in  the  plan.  The  Rev. 
Horace  R.  Fell,  B.D.,  of  that  very  successful  school  of  the 
Church  of  the  Messiah,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  says : 
''Our  course  of  study  is,  I  think,  the  foundation 
of  what  success  our  school  has  met  with.  It  pro- 
vides a  natural  system  of  grading  for  the  school ;  it  leads 
the  children  gradually  to  an  intelligent  study  of  the  Bible, 
and  solves  the  problem  of  holding  the  young  men, 
because  they  are  interested.  By  the  time  they  have  fin- 
ished the  course  in  the  main  school,  they  are  ready  to 
take  their  places  in  the  Bible  Class,  or  to  be  teachers,  well 
equipped  for  their  work,  in  the  main  school.  More  than 
this,  they  have  learned  to  love  the  Church,  so  that  no 
special  effort  is  needed  to  encourage  church  attendance. 
The  result,  so  far  as  holding  young  men  is  concerned,  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  in  our  Confirmation  classes  we 
have  as  many  young  men  as  young  women." 

I  have  received  similar  encouraging  words  from  work- 
ers in  different  denominational  schools  of  widely  varying 
conditions — in  cities,  towns  and  country — bespeaking 
splendid  results  through  the  graded  plan. 

What  is  the  meaning,  popularly  speaking,  of  a  graded 
Sunday-school  ?  Grading  is  the  orderly  arranging  of  the 
school  into  classes  and  departments  for  the  systematic 

24 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

and  progressive  study  of  the  Bible,  and  for  Christian  nur- 
ture; the  members  of  the  classes  and  departments  being 
classified  as  may  be  consistent  with  age  and  advancement, 
and  following  as  nearly  as  possible,  usually,  the  grades 
laid  down  by  the  graded  day  schools,  the  lessons  and 
methods  of  teaching  being  adapted  to  the  pupils  of  the 
several  departments.  Of  course,  the  graded  plan  must 
be  adapted  to  the  peculiar  needs  of  each  school.  To  for- 
get the  law  of  adaptability  is  to  widely  fail  of  our  end. 
So  we  find  varying  graded-  plans. 

What  are  some  of  the  advantages  of  the  graded  system  ? 
Keeping  in  mind  that  the  ultimate  end  of  the  Sunday- 
school  is  for  the  creation  and  development  of  Christian 
character,  and  keeping  in  mind  that  divine  principle  of 
revelation  that  holy  character  is  the  fruit  of  truth,  we  may 
say  that  a  gain  of  the  graded  system  is  in  the  presenta- 
tion of  truth  in  ways  better  adapted  to  the  limitations  or 
advancements  of  pupils,  and  better  suited  to  their  religious 
needs.  The  graded  system  also  clarifies  a  pupil's  concep- 
tion of  the  Bible,  presenting  a  clear  and  broad  outline  of 
the  Scriptures,  their  substance,  order,  arrangement,  devel- 
opment and  meaning, — and  presenting  their  great  under- 
lying cardinal  doctrines.  In  place  of  chaos,  there  is  order 
in  the  pupil's  mind, — truth  on  which  one  can  stand,  and 
by  which  one  can  grow  "in  the  beauty  of  holiness."  There 
is  further  gain  in  the  recognition  of  this  system  that  for 
the  sustained  interest  of  a  pupil  there  must  be  real  prog- 
ress, and  recognition  on  the  part  of  the  school  of  that 
progress.     For  this  the  graded  school  provides. 

I.  Outlines  of  Bible  courses,  and  supplemental  les- 
sons. To  construct  a  graded  school  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  supplant,  but  to  supplement,  the  International  Les- 
sons. At  the  recent  Chicago  conference  in  the  interests 
of  religious  education  the  belief  was  expressed  that  the 
International  system  is  the  best  system  at  present,   for 

25 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

a  large  percentage  of  schools.  But  unless  all  signs  fail, 
that  system  will  soon  be  modified.  Many  ardent  friends 
of  that  system  recognize  the  value,  and  the  urgent  neces- 
sity, of  a  supplemental  series  of  lessons  in  conjunction 
with  that  system,  if  our  Sunday-schools  are  to  do  the 
work  that  we  have  a  right  to  expect  them  to  do. 

I.  To  this  end  I  desire  to  commend  the  graded  course 
of  study  and  supplemental  lessons,  which  are  taught  in 
addition  to  the  International  Lessons,  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Bible-school  of  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  outline  of  study,  with  small  additions  which 
have  been  made  for  a  more  suggestive  plan : 


PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT. 


The  Cradle  Roll. 

Our  "Cradle  Roll  Department"  shall  consist  of  all  those 
children,  in  the  families  of  our  parish,  under  the  usual  Sun- 
day-school age.  On  this  roll  we  shall  desire  to  record  the 
names  of  such  children  from  birth  up  to  the  time  of  entering 
the  primary  classes.  Such  children  shall  be  remembered  in 
our  prayers,  and  upon  each  baby's  birthday  a  birthday  card 
shall  be  sent  to  them  as  a  token  of  remembrance  and  in- 
terest, and  there  shall  be  such  other  attentions  from  time  to 
time  as  may  seem  desirable.  When  the  name  of  a  child,  with 
date  of  birth,  has  been  enrolled,  a  Certificate  of  Enrolment 
shall  be  given  to  the  parents  of  the  child,  and  the  child's  name 
engrossed   upon    the    roll. 

Classes. 

Golden    Text.      The    Lord's    Prayer.      Psalm    23. 
First  Year.      Golden     Rule     (Luke     6:31).       Christ's     Invita- 
tion to  children  (Matt.  19:  14). 

26 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

Golden  Text.     Beatitudes  (Matt.  5:3-12).      God's 
Second  Year.     Love  verse    (John  3:  16).      Names  of  the  four 
Gospels.      Doxology. 


Golden   Text.     Lesson   Title.     The   Ten    Com- 

.";f '^"'^"^'-      ^^^   '^^^   G^^^t   Commandments 
Third  Year.        (Matt.    22:37-40).       One    Giving   verse.      One 

Temperance  verse.      Coronation  Hymn.     Books 
of  the  New  Testament. 


INTERMEDIATE  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Lesson  Title,  Golden  Text  and  Lesson  Story  of  the  In- 
ternational Sunday-school  Lesson  throughout  the  course. 

First  Year,      Names  of  the  twelve  apostles. 
Age  8.         Names  of  the  Books  of  the  Bible. 
One  Psalm. 


Second  Year,  Original    language    and    writers    of    the    New 
Age  9.  Testament.      Apostles'    Creed.      One    Psalm. 

Review  of  the  work  of  previous  years. 


Original     language     of     the     Old     Testament. 
Books   of   the    Bible   classified.     One    Psalm. 
Third  Year,        Who  was  Adam?    Noah?    Abraham?   Jacob? 
Age  10.  Joseph  ?     Palestine  :  location,  names,  divisions, 

map  (be  able  to  draw),  size,  surface,  climate, 
fertility,  people  (number  and  occupations), 
cities,  present  condition. 


One  Psalm.     Who  was  Moses?     The  story  of 
his    life.       Journey    through    the    Wilderness. 
Fourth  Year,     The  Tabernacle:  describe  it.     Its  use?     Who 
Age  II.  was  Joshua?     Samuel?     Jerusalem:  location, 

age,  size,  population,  walls,  gates,  buildings, 
modern  Jerusalem.  Review  of  the  work  of 
previous  years. 

27 


MODERN    METHODS    IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

JUNIOR    DEPARTMENT. 

The    Lesson    Title,    Golden    Text    and    Lesson    Story    of    the 
International  Sunday-school   Lesson  throughout  the  course. 


Eccles.      12 :  1-7.       Who     was     the     first     King 
of    Israel?      The    second?      The    third?      Give 
First  Year,         dates   and   short  story  of  life   of  each.     The 
Age  12.  Temple:  describe  it.     When  and  where  built? 

Materials  used.    Purpose.     What  building  oc- 
cupies the  ancient  site? 


Second  Year  ^  ^^'''  ^^"      Who  wrote  the  Psalms?     What  is  a 

Ae-e  1-^       '     prophet?      Name    some    of    the    prophets.      Tell 

something  about  Elijah,  Elisha,  Isaiah,  Daniel. 


Read   St.    Luke's    Gospel.     In   connection   with 

Third  Year,        the    reading,    study    outlines    of    the    life    of 

Age  14.  Christ    in    "Legion    of    Honor    Normal    Bible 

and  Training  Lessons,"  by  Prof.  H.  M.  Hamill. 


Read  the  Book  of  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles; 
describe  the  beginning  of  the  early  Christian 
Fourth  Year,      Church.      Tell    about    Pentecost.      The    first 
Age  15.  great    sermon.      The    first    Christian    martyr. 

The  great  Apostle  Paul :  when  and  where 
born,  education,  religion,  conversion?  What 
countries  did  he  visit?  To  whom  did  he  write 
letters?  When  and  w^here  did  he  die?  Thor- 
ough review  of  work  of  all  previous  years. 


In  addition  to  the  diploma,  a  Teacher's  Bible  will  be  given 
to  the  scholar  graduating  from  this  department  who  will 
learn  and  recite  at  one  time,  and  without  error,  the  West- 
minster Shorter  Catechism. 

28 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

SENIOR  DEPARTMENT. 

Thorough   study   of   the   International   Sunday- 
First  Year.         school  Lesson,  including  time,  place,  persons, 
connections  and  personal  application. 


Second  Year.  Same  as  above. 


Third  Year.     Same  as  above. 


ADULT  DEPARTMENT. 

This  department  shall  include: 

1.  The  Advanced  Bible  Classes. 

The  number  in  attendance  upon  this  hour  is  increasing,  and 
all  the  men  and  women  of  the  congregation  are  invited  to 
unite  in  this  Bible  study,  which  is  now  being  conducted  with 
such  satisfaction  and  helpfulness. 

2.  The  Home  Department  of  Bible  Study. 

The  Object:  The  Home  Department  has  for  its  object  the 
systematic  reading  and  study  of  the  Bible  in  our  homes. 

For  Whom:  It  is  established  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
cannot  attend  the  Bible  classes  at  the  church,  or  who  can  be 
present  only  occasionally. 

Plan:  A  card  of  membership  will  be  given  to  those  who 
desire  to  join. 

A  copy  of  "The  Westminster  Quarterly,"  containing  a  list 
of  "Daily  Home  Readings,"  "The  International  Lessons," 
with  critical  notes  and  applications  of  the  lesson,  will  be  fur- 
nished each  member. 

Each  one  can  select  from  the  above  that  which  is  most  help- 
ful and  suggestive. 

Each  member  will  devote  one-half  hour  or  more  each  week 
to  the  reading  and  study  of  the  references  selected. 

This  outline  of  study  is  printed  in  a  neat  leaflet  of  some 
twelve  pages,  and  with  the  following  introduction : 
The  purpose  of  this  little  course  of  supplementary  work  is 

29 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

to  aid  in  making  Bible  study  attractive  and  profitable,  and  to 
stimulate  study  by  recognizing  the  efforts  of  each  scholar. 

The  plan  is  to  divide  the  school  into  five  departments :  Pri- 
mary, Intermediate,  Junior,  Senior  and  Adult,  the  course  be- 
ing three  years  in  the  Primary,  four  years  in  the  Intermedi- 
ate, four  years  in  the  Junior  and  three  j'-ears  in  the  Senior. 

The  classes  are  arranged  theoretically  according  to  age, 
scholars  graduating  from  the  Primary  department  at  the  age 
of  eight  years. 

Every  scholar  is  expected  to  know  the  requirements  of  his 
class  before  passing  to  the  next  higher.  Promotions  from 
class  to  class  are  made  upon  recommendation  of  the  teacher; 
from  department  to  department,  upon  examination  by  the  offi- 
cers and  teachers  of  the  school. 

Our  Class  Book,  which  records  Attendance,  Lesson 
Learned,  Collection  and  Deportment,  is  part  of  our  plan.  Its 
records  are  one  of  the  factors  considered  in  making  promo- 
tions. 

A  diploma  will  be  given  to  all  graduating  with  honor  from 
department  to  department. 

The  International  Lessons  now  in  use  in  our  school  are  the 
Lessons  to  be  taught  in  the  classes.  The  supplementary 
work  here  outlined  may  be  taught  at  the  convenience  of  the 
teachers,  and  will  from  time  to  time  be  recited  in  concert  in 
the  opening  exercises  of  the  school. 

We  believe  that  Bible  knowledge  is  essential  to  Christian 
character.  To  that  end,  we  ask  the  sympathy  and  support  of 
the  home  in  our  plan. 

2.  As  a  comprehensive  curriculum,  showing  at  once 
the  larger  scope  of  Sunday-school  work  and  the  value  of 
the  graded  plan,  I  commend  the  splendid  system  of  the 
school  of  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
One  cannot  study  this  school  without  feeling  a  new  en- 
thusiasm in  the  larger  opportunity  of  helping  children, 
of  indoctrinating  them,  and  of  leading  them  on  into  the 
Church  and  the  joyous  service  of  God.  This  school  is 
divided  into  five  grades,  exclusive  of  the  Bible  class ;  the 
main  school  into  four,  with  an  examination  at  the  end  of 
each  year's  work.     The  children  study  Catechism,  Chris- 

30 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

tian  Year,  Prayer  Book  (its  history  and  meaning  of  the 
various  services),  Gospels  (as  appointed  to  be  read  each 
Sunday  and  Holy  Day).  Thus  their  whole  Sunday-school 
life  is  a  constant  progress  in  definite  systematic  teaching. 
The  children  themselves  can  note  the  progress  they  are 
making,  as  in  the  day-school ;  their  interest  is  thus  main- 
tained without  resort  to  prizes,  although  a  prize  is  given 
to  the  boy  or  girl  in  each  grade  who  passes  the  best  ex- 
amination. The  International  Lessons  are  not  used  in 
addition  to  the  course  of  study  outlined.  They  are 
used,  however,  in  adult  Bible  classes,  the  idea  being  to 
drill  the  children  in  fundamentals  of  the  faith,  and  then 
when  they  reach  the  Bible  classes  they  can  study  the  Holy 
Scriptures  in  general  more  intelligently. 


First  Grade,       Outline  of  the  system.     The  first  grade,  or  pri- 
Age  5-10.  mary  class,  is  placed  in  charge  of  a  trained 

kindergartner,  who  is  paid  for  her  work. 
For  convenience,  the  primary  school  is  di- 
vided into  classes  of  about  ten,  each  class 
in  charge  of  a  teacher  who  keeps  order, 
marks  the  attendance,  calls  on  the  children, 
etc.  But  the  teaching  proper  is  done  by 
the  paid  kindergartner.  The  children  in 
this  grade  are  from  five  to  ten  years  of  age. 
The  study  is  of  Bible  stories,  taken  chiefly 
from  the  life  of  our  Lord.  No  examina- 
tions are  given  in  this  grade,  but  when  the 
superintendent  of  the  department  considers 
that  the  members  of  a  class  are  ready  for  it, 
they  are  placed  in  the  main  school,  or 
grade  two. 


Second  Grade.  Here  they  begin  to  study  the  Catechism.  The 
little  children  who  enter  the  main  school 
from  the  primary  department  are  given  as  a 

31 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Second  Grade.  text-book  The  Church  Catechism  Illustrated^ 
by  Mrs.  C.  H.  Smith.  Older  children 
who  may  enter  the  school  without  hav- 
ing previously  studied  the  Catechism  are 
also  placed  in  this  grade,  but  these  are 
given  a  copy  of  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  and  pupils  study  their  Catechism 
directly  from  that,  the  teacher  explaining 
each  question  and  answer  as  it  is  taken  up. 
To  aid  them  in  this  work,  the  teachers  are 
supplied  with  a  small  book,  entitled  Les- 
sons on  the  Church  Catechism^  by  the 
Rev.  A.  Cluny  MacPherson,  M.A.  In  addi- 
tion to  this,  teachers  are  encouraged  to  buy 
and  read  other  books  on  the  Catechism. 


Third  Grade.  The  third  year  all  scholars  of  grade  two  (ex- 
cept those  who  show  marked  deficiency) 
are  promoted,  with  their  teachers,  to  grade 
three.  Here  they  study  what  is  known  as 
The  Church  Year.  They  are  taught 
what  portion  of  the  Christian's  belief  is  em- 
phasized by  each  church  service  as  it 
comes.  Thus,  Advent  teaches  about  the 
first  coming  of  Christ,  and  reminds  us  of 
the  second.  Christmas  places  before  us 
the  great  fact  of  the  Incarnation.  And  so 
on  each  season  and  Holy  Day  in  the 
Church's  year  is  taken  up,  the  children  are 
taught  what  Christian  truth  it  stands  for, 
are  made  to  pick  out  the  particular  article 
in  the  Apostles'  Creed  representing  that 
truth,  and  are  required  to  look  up  Bible 
passages  telling  about  it,  and  to  find  the 
Collect,  Epistle  and  Gospel  for  that  day  in 

*  Published  by  Edwin  S.  Gorham,  281  Fourth  Avenue,  New 
York  City. 

*  Published  by  the  Church  of  England  Sunday-school  In- 
stitute; imported  by  Thomas  Whittaker,  2  Bible  House,  New 
York  City. 

32 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

Third  Grade.  their  Prayer  Books.  Thus  each  article  in 
the  Creed  is  connected  for  the  children  with 
some  living  fact  in  our  Lord's  life  and 
work.  At  the  end  of  this  year  the  creed 
means  something  to  even  the  little  tots.  At 
the  close  of  the  year  this  grade  is  subjected 
to  a  written  examination.  Questions  are 
prepared  and  given  to  the  children  to  be 
answered  in  writing  at  home,  and  returned 
the  following  Sunday.  The  questions  are 
simple,  but  such  as  to  bring  out  the  mean- 
ing of  the  chief  events  in  our  Lord's  life. 
The  following  questions  and  answers  will 
illustrate;  With  what  season  does  the 
Church  year  begin?  "Advent."  What 
does  Advent  mean?  "Coming."  How  many 
comings  of  Christ  are  spoken  of  in  the 
Creed?  "Two."  Give  the  articles  of  the 
Creed  which  refer  to  these  comings.  "Born 
of  the  Virgin  Mary."  "From  thence  He  shall 
come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead." 
About  what  does  the  Christmas  season 
teach  us?  "The  Christmas  season  teaches 
us  that  Christ  did  not  come  into  the  world 
as  a  King,  but  very  humbly,  as  a  little 
baby."  What  event  in  Christ's  life  does 
Epiphany  commemorate?  "His  manifesta- 
tion to  the  Gentiles,  who  were  represented 
by  the  three  wise  men."  What  does  Easter 
teach  us  about  Christ?  "Rose  from  the 
dead."  Give  the  article  of  the  Creed  which 
expresses  this.  "The  third  day  He  rose 
again  from  the  dead."  What  does  Easter 
teach  us  about  ourselves?  "That  we  will 
live  after  we  die,  if  we  live  good  lives  here." 
"That  we  shall  be  raised  again  from  the 
dead  the  same  as  Jesus."  Give  the  article 
of  the  Creed  which  expresses  this.  "The 
resurrection  of  the  body  and  the  life  ever- 
lasting." These  answers  are  selected  from 
various  papers  written  by  boys  and  girls 
from  eleven  to  fourteen  years  of  age.    The 

33 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Third    Grade.         papers  are  corrected,  marked  and  returned 
to  the  pupils. 

The  children  in  this  grade  are  given  as  a 
text-book  A  Catechism  on  the  Church  Year^ 
by  the  Bishop  of  Pittsburg.  Some  of  the 
classes  also  use  Miss  Patterson's  Chart  of  the 
Christian  Year.'  In  addition  the  teachers  are 
given  a  copy  of  The  Trinity  Course  of  Church 
Instruction.^  To  this  book  this  school  regards 
itself  indebted  for  the  main  outline  of  its 
course,  and  the  suggestions  of  examinations. 


Fourth  Grade.  After  a  year  of  such  instruction  the  scholars, 
with  their  teachers,  are  promoted  to  grade 
four.  (The  penalty  for  idleness  and  neg- 
lect of  work  thus  becomes  the  loss  of 
teacher  and  companions, — an  excellent  in- 
centive to  work.)  In  this  grade  the  study 
of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  is  taken 
up.  The  book  itself  is  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  children  as  a  text-book.  They  are 
taught  how  to  use  it.  The  principles  of 
^  public  worship  are  explained  to  them.  They 

are  given  a  general  history  of  the  growth 
of  the  book.  They  study  the  table  of  con- 
tents and  are  taught  the  rationale  of  each 
service.  They  are  shown  how  to  find  the 
proper  Scripture  lesson  for  each  day,  and 
thus  it  is  impressed  upon  them  that  the  Church 
instructs  her  members  to  read  their  Bibles 
through  over  and  over  again  each  year,  and  to 
this  end  has  mapped  out  a  certain  portion 
for  them  to  read  each  day.      The  work  of 

*  Published  by  the  Young  Churchman  Company,  Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

'  Obtained  at  any  book-store  handling  Episcopal  Church 
publications. 

'  Compiled  by  the  Rev.  C.  M.  Beckwith,  and  published  by 
E.  S.  Gorham. 

34 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

Fourth  Grade.  the  present  year  brings  a  review  of  the 
Catechism,  studied  two  years  before,  a 
fuller  explanation  of  the  meaning  of  bap- 
tism and  the  holy  Communion,  and  natu- 
rally leads  to  the  first  steps  toward  a  prep- 
aration for  Confirmation, — the  children  in 
this  grade  being  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
years  of  age.  For  their  use  in  this  grade 
the  teachers  are  supplied  with  a  copy  of 
Lessons  on  the  Prayer  Book,  by  the  Rev.  A. 
Cluny  MacPherson,  a  companion  volume  to 
his  Lessons  on  the  Church  Catechism.  Usu- 
ally, however,  they  supplement  this  by  obtain- 
ing such  other  books  as  may  be  recommended 
from  time  to  time.  One  such,  particularly 
worthy  of  mention,  is  The  Teacher's  Prayer 
Book,"-  by  the  Right  Rev.  Alfred  Barry,  D.D., 
D.C.L. 


Fifth  Grade.  After  a  year  in  Grade  Four,  the  class  is  pro- 
moted to  Grade  Five.  In  this  grade  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  is  still  used  as  a 
text-book,  but  now  the  attention  of  the 
class  is  fixed  upon  a  study  of  the  Scripture 
contained  in  the  Prayer  Book.  They  study 
the  Collect,  Epistle  and  Gospel  for  each 
Sunday.  They  try  to  find  the  keynote  of 
each  Sunday's  Scripture  teaching,  the  main 
truth  set  forth  in  the  Gospel  and  in  the 
Epistle.  Usually  the  main  thought  in  each 
is  the  same,  and  the  Collect  "collects,"  or 
gathers  up  the  teaching  of  both  Epistle  and 
Gospel.  This  year's  work  takes  the  stu- 
dent over  much  the  same  ground  he  trav- 
elled two  years  before,  in  Grade  Three,  only 
now  he  can  go  more  into  detail  and  appre- 
ciate more  fully  the  circle  of  truths  taught 
throughout    the    Christian    year.       In    this 

^  Published  by  E.  and  J.  B.  Young  and  Company,  7  West 
i8th  Street,  New  York  City. 

35 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Fifth  Grade.  grade  the  teachers  are  given  for  their  use 

a  copy  of  The  Trinity  Course  above  men- 
tioned, also  A  Manual  of  Instruction  upon 
the  Collects,  Epistles  and  Gospels  for  the 
Christian  Year,^  by  the  Rev.  George  W. 
Shinn,  D.D.,  and  Lessons  on  the  Gospels 
for  Sundays  and  Holy  Days^  by  Alice  M. 
Cawthorn.  The  children  enter  this  grade 
at  from  thirteen  to  sixteen  years  of  age. 
So  that  when  they  have  finished  it,  they 
have  reached  the  age  when  Sunday-school 
classes  are  so  apt  to  "break  up"  and 
drift  away.  If  this  tendency  does  not  ap- 
pear, the  class  may  go  on  as  a  Bible  class. 
Teacher  and  scholars  are  by  this  time  both 
fitted  to  undertake  a  more  or  less  inde- 
pendent study  of  the  Bible  with  both  pleas- 
ure and  profit.  Usually,  however,  after  the 
end  of  this  year  some  of  the  scholars  go 
into  the  larger  Bible  class,  which  has  a  sep- 
arate room  and  is  conducted  more  or  less 
as  a  lecture  given  by  the  teacher,  with  op- 
portunity for  questions  and  discussions  by 
the  scholars;  others  take  classes  in  some 
of  the  lower  grades,  and  the  teacher  takes 
another  class  to  bring  up  through  the  vari- 
ous grades.' 

3.  With  the  above  outline  of  courses  before  us,  we  are 
ready  to  consider  a  published  system  of  graded  lessons 
for  a  graded  Bible-school  that  already  is  in  large  use  and 

*  Published  by  Thomas  Whittaker,  New  York  City. 

^  Published  by  the  Church  of  England  Sunday-school  In- 
stitute; imported  by  Thomas  Whittaker. 

'The  superintendent  of  this  school.  Rev.  Horace  R.  Fell, 
B.D.,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  this  outline,  regards  this  de- 
scription as  more  or  less  ideal;  but  we  are  grateful  for  the 
ideal.  The  superintendent  also  expresses  his  indebtedness 
for  much  in  his  system  to  the  recommendations  made  by  the 
Sunday-school  Commission  of  the  Diocese  of  Long  Island. 

36 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

in  increasing  demand.  I  desire  to  commend  the  Bible 
Study  Union  (Blakeslee)  Lessons'^  as  a  thorough, 
comprehensive,  simple,  satisfactory  and  scientific  system 
of  graded  lessons,  and  as  suited  to  the  urgent  need  of  the 
day  for  a  graded  course  of  study.  These  lessons  were 
first  issued  for  sale  in  1891,  and  are  now  in  use  in  all  the 
great  evangelical  denominations  of  America  and  in  many 
other  lands,  portions  of  them  having  been  translated  into 
ten  or  more  foreign  languages  for  missionary  use,  and 
other  translations  are  now  being  made.  In  our  home 
land  the  use  of  these  lessons  has  secured  increased  and 
more  regular  attendance  in  hundreds  of  Sunday-schools, 
and  has  inspired  a  new  interest  in,  and  love  for,  Bible 
study  on  the  part  of  thousands.  The  increasing  use  of 
this  system  is  its  own  best  testimonial,  but  I  cannot  do 
less  than  express  my  most  clear  conviction  and  consci- 
entious judgment  that  this  system  meets  an  urgent  need. 
It  has  many  advantages.      It  plans : 

( 1 )  For  a  systematic  and  successive  study  of  the  Bible, 
the  lessons  comprehending  entire  Scripture  sections  in- 
stead of  a  few  verses,  and  sometimes  several  chapters  are 
used  for  one  lesson. 

(2)  For  a  personal  study  of  the  Scriptures.  The  Scrip- 
ture lessons  are  not  printed  verbatim,  but  are  referred  to 
only ;  pupils  must  handle  their  Bibles  and  personally  read 
them.     This  is  a  great  gain. 

(3)  For  appeal  to  the  personal  interest  of  the  pupils. 
Series  of  printed  questions  on  every  lesson  are  placed  in 
their  hands,  with  blank  spaces  for  written  answers.  Some- 
times letters  to  teachers  are  required;  also  drawing,  col- 
oring, etc.  There  is  satisfaction  in  doing  things,  and  the 
habit  of  searching  the  Scriptures  and  writing  the  answers 
not  only  interests  the  pupils,  but  also  fixes  the  lessons  in 

*  Address  Bible  Study  Publishing  Company,  95  South  Street, 
Boston,  Mass.      Specimen  copies  are  sent  on  request. 

37 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the    mind.     This    method,    too,    greatly   promotes   home 
study. 

(4)   For  the  adaptation  of  material  and  of  method  to 


BIOGRAPHICAL 

HISTORICAL 

BIOQRAfHICAl 

HISTORICAL 

iiographicalJ 

historical  I 

SERIES 

STUDIED 

EACH 

YEAR 

•I 
U 

S 

< 

?. 
0 

5 

b 

0 

6 

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0 

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Bible  Classes 

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Seventh  Grado 

4 

dul 

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Sixth  Grade 

19 

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Progressive  Q'rt'y 

18 
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Fifth  Grade 

16 

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Intermediate  Q'rt'y 

'5 
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Fourth  Grade 

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Junior  Q'rt'y 

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Tliird  Grade 

10 

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Quid's  Monthly 

9 

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Second  Grade 

8 

Primary  Monthly 

7 

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First  Grade 

6 

Primary  Cards 

5 

6 

I.    Two  years  can  be  given  to  each  grade  in.  the  Main  School,  instead  of  three,  if  desired. 
9.    Adults  can  take  Sixth  grade,  instead  of  Seventh,  if  preferred. 


A  school  using  these  lessons  in  order  studies  all  the  grades  in  any  series  at  the  same 
time,  and  "goes  t'liroiigh"  the  Bible  once  every  tbree  years,  but  takes  up  the  same 
series  only  once  in  six  years,  at  wliicli  time  each  scholar  or  class  studies  it  in, 
a  grade  so  much  higher  than  before  as  to  have  practically  new  lessons.  Thus  a  child) 
beginning  these  lessons  at  five,  with  the  first  grade — Primary  Cards  —  of  the  Great  Men, 
of  Israel  series,  would  study  that  series  next  at  eleven,  in  the  Junior  grade,  and  so  on. 
The  same  is  true  in  substance  wherever  one  begins.  By  thus  combining  frequent  rc- 
nev.s  of  the  general  material  studied  with  great  variety  in  topics  and  steady  progress 
in  the  purpose  and  methods  of  study,  interest  is  mainlined  and  rapid  advance  in  knowl* 
edge  made.    The  results  attained  in  this  way  are  eocceedingly  satis&clory. 


the  various  ages  and  requirements  of  pupils;  the  whole 
school  Studying  the  same  passages,  but  with  lessons 
adapted  to  the  varying  ages. 

38 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

(5)  For  the  formation  of  Christian  character  and  the 
deepening  of  the  spiritual  life,  the  lessons  being  carefully 
arranged  with  view  to  a  steady  acquisition  of  Bible  truth, 
and  the  practical  spiritual  application  of  the  lessons. 

The  diagram  on  the  preceding  page,  prepared  by  the 
Bible  Study  Publishing  Company,  shows  the  series  and 
grades,  through  the  system,  with  the  approximate  ages  of 
the  pupils  in  each  grade,  and  the  steps  of  progress  from 
the  first  grade  up,  when  the  six  series  are  used  in  order. 

Trinity  Sunday-school,  Newport,  R.  I.,  using  the  Bible 
Union  Lessons,  consists  of  seven  grades,  two  in  each  de- 
partment, beginning  with  the  Primary,  the  Bible  class,  a 
graduate  class,  being  counted  as  one  grade.  A  period  is 
two  years;  and  promotion  from  grade  to  grade  and  de- 
partment to  department  is  at  the  end  of  each  period.  A 
child  starting  in  the  primary  at  six  graduates  at  eighteen, 
since  there  are  two  grades  in  each  department  and  two 
years  have  to  be  spent  in  each. 

The  Manual,  Teachers'  Helper  and  other  aids,  pub- 
lished as  a  part  of  this  system,  are  of  the  very  highest 
order, — helpful,  suggestive  and  stimulating,  giving  to  Bi- 
ble study  a  new,  fresh  interest. 

IL     Miscellaneous    requirements    of    graded    schools. 

I.  In  the  Junior  Department  of  the  Hope  Congrega- 
tional School,  Springfield,  Mass.,  the  teacher  takes  fifteen 
minutes  to  teach  a  supplemental  lesson ;  all  that  has  been 
learned  in  the  lower  grades  is  reviewed — Scripture  pas- 
sages, beatitudes,  commandments,  books  of  the  Bible,  etc. 
In  addition  to  this  there  is  the  study  of  Bible  characters, 
sometimes  of  places.  The  supplemental  work  varies  each 
year  in  this  department.  The  children  who  have  mas- 
tered the  work  are  graduated  at  twelve  years.  If  they 
do  not  master  the  required  work  they  are  kept  back  two 
years  and  then  graduated  "on  account  of  age,"  but  with- 
out having  part  in  the  public  exercises. 

39 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

2.  In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Plainfield, 
N.  J.,  where  the  International  Lesson  course  is  used,  the 
superintendent  teaches  the  supplemental  lessons,  which 
include  the  books  of  the  Bible,  of  what  each  book  and 
division  treats,  and  many  facts  about  the  Bible,  its  ancient 
and  modern  name,  when  written,  by  whom,  when  trans- 
lated, etc.  A  Psalm  or  passage  of  twelve  verses  is  learned 
each  quarter. 

3.  The  requirement  for  promotion  from  the  Senior 
Intermediate  Department  to  the  Young  People's  Depart- 
ment in  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Bos- 
ton, Mass.,  is  a  satisfactory  examination  on  the  four  great 
institutions,  preparatory  to  the  Christian  Church,  in  the 
development  of  the  divine  purpose  of  redemption :  ( i ) 
the  Altar,  the  earliest  institution  for  worship;  (2)  the 
Tabernacle,  which  was  an  outgrowth  of  the  Altar;  (3) 
the  Temple,  which  was  a  development  of  the  Tabernacle ; 
(4)  the  Synagogue,  which  was  supplementary  to  the  Tem- 
ple, and  formed  an  important  step  toward  the  Church  of 
Christ. 

4.  Pupils  in  the  Park  Church  school,  Elmira,  N.  Y., 
before  entering  the  main  school  must  be  able  to  recite 
from  memory  the  Scriptures  of  the  Church's  liturgies, 
the  invitations  of  Jesus,  the  errand  of  Jesus,  etc.,  the  Ten 
Commandments  or  Ten  Words  of  Jehovah,  the  sum  of 
the  commandments  as  given  by  Jesus,  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
the  Apostles'  Creed,  the  Te  Deum,  the  Gloria,  the  Mag- 
nificat, and  twenty-four  of  the  old  and  approved  hymns 
of  the  Church.  Upon  graduating  from  the  preparatory 
course  into  the  regular  course  the  church  gives  each 
pupil  a  Testament  with  a  certificate  of  studies  covered 
inscribed  within.  At  the  close  of  each  year,  at  Anniver- 
sary Sunday  or  Commencement,  each  pupil  is  given  a  cer- 
tificate stating  that  the  work  has  been  satisfactory,  if  it 
has  been.     If  not,  and  he  wishes  to  continue,  his  gradua- 

40 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

tion  is  simply  deferred  one  year.  Some  drop  out  and  go 
to  other  Sunday-schools  in  the  city,  where  little  is  required. 
At  the  graduation  exercises  pupils  are  given  a  Bible  or 
Bible  Dictionary  suitably  inscribed  by  the  pastor,  and  a 
certificate  or  diploma,  and  are  urged  to  confess  their  faith 
openly  before  the  church  and  congregation.  From  twen- 
ty-five to  fifty  each  year  make  public  confession  of  faith  in 
this  school. 

III.  Miscellaneous  suggestions  in  operating  the  graded 
schools. 

1.  Teachers  do  not  advance  with  pupils  from  the 
Primary  Department,  but  advance  usually  with  scholars 
from  grade  to  grade  in  other  promotions  until  scholars 
are  graduated  into  the  adult  department. 

2.  In  certain  schools  some  departments  and  classes 
meet  at  different  hours.  In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist 
Church,  Boston,  Mass.,  the  Mothers'  Class  numbers  prob- 
ably a  hundred  and  fifty,  and  is  divided  into  two  sections 
for  the  purpose  of  meeting  the  convenience  of  the  moth- 
ers, one  meeting  at  two  o'clock,  the  other  at  four.  It  is 
worth  remarking  that  to  these  classes  are  welcomed 
women  who  have  little  children  and  who  have  no  one  at 
home  with  whom  the  children  can  be  left.  When  neces- 
sary they  are  entertained  by  a  caretaker  in  a  separate  room. 
Again,  though  the  session  of  the  school  is  not  until  two 
o'clock,  at  a  quarter  past  twelve,  following  the  morning 
service,  there  is  a  class  for  young  women  who  cannot  come 
so  well  at  two,  and  also  an  adult  class  for  those  who  would 
prefer  to  stay  at  that  hour.  At  the  same  time  the  Chinese 
Department  meets  in  the  parlors  of  the  church.  There  is 
also  a  class  in  New  Testament  Greek,  taught  by  a  compe- 
tent professor,  at  9.30  a.  m.,  as  well  as  a  Home  Department 
for  those  who  are  not  able  to  come  to  the  stated  sessions. 
There  is  a  principle  involved  here  that  is  often  overlooked, 
resulting  in  complaint  of  superintendents  that  any  class 

41 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

should  meet  at  any  time  or  place  other  than  that  of  the 
"main  school."  We  shall  be  helped  in  remembering  that 
our  purpose  is  not  to  see  how  big  we  are,  but  that  men 
shall  realize  how  helpful  we  are!  Our  work  is  to  in- 
struct persons  in,  and  imbue  them  with,  the  Word  of  God. 
Therefore,  if  they  cannot  or  will  not  come  at  one  hour, 
let  us  meet  them  at  another.  Following  such  principle, 
we  have  night  schools  for  secular  education.  Are  the 
children  of  this  world  wiser  than  the  children  of  light? 

3.  Another  plan  is  that  of  a  superintendent  over 
each  department,  the  superintendent  of  the  school  act- 
ing with  the  superintendents  of  the  departments  in  an 
advisory  capacity,  and  having,  as  usual,  the  responsibility 
of  the  school  as  a  whole. 

4.  Another  essential  is  care  in  the  officering  of  the 
school  and  apportioning  its  work,  that  the  needed  work 
of  the  hour  may  be  done  quietly,  orderly  and  efficiently, 
without  overtaxing  any  of  those  royal  of  Israel  whom  we 
call  ''willing  workers."  The  efficiency  of  a  school  is 
sometimes  impaired  by  individual  officers  trying  to  do  too 
much,  indeed  attempting  to  do  the  impossible,  with  the 
result  of  belated  reports,  records  and  other  inexcusable 
delays  that  retard  the  work.  Such  conditions  should 
neither  be  countenanced  nor  tolerated ;  we  can  deal  with 
them  kindly,  yet  firmly  and  with  a  strong  hand. 

5.  The  meeting  of  departments  and  classes  as  a 
school  for  at  least  a  small  part  of  the  general  exercises  of 
each  session  is  customary,  but  such  meeting  of  the  school 
as  a  whole  is  only  occasional  in  certain  churches,  while 
the  prevailing  tendency  with  adult  classes  is  to  remain  by 
themselves  to  the  close  of  the  hour,  not  returning  for  the 
closing  exercises. 

6.  The  time  usually  allotted  for  the  study  of  the  les- 
son in  classes  should  never  be  encroached  upon  for  any 
reason.     Just  so  far  as  it  is  encroached  upon,  a  Bible- 

42 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

school  ceases  to  be  a  Bible-school ;  it  may  become  a  sing- 
ing-school, or  a  church  society,  or  a  club,  but  it  pitifully 
fails  of  the  grand  purpose  for  which  it  exists,  and  of  the 
magnificent  opportunity  which  it  presents. 

7.  One  of  the  most  significant  changes  in  Sunday- 
school  work  is  the  growing  tendency  of  preferring  a  large 
class  with  a  successful  teacher  to  several  classes  with  in- 
ferior teachers.  At  last  we  are  realizing  that  unless  we 
have  teachers  who  can  teach,  our  Bible-school  is  not  a 
school.  My  every  study  of  Sunday-school  activity 
deepens  the  profound  conviction  that  there  are  urgent 
reasons  why  "the  good  teacher"  should  teach  an  entire 
department  of  a  school,  rather  than  have  the  school  di- 
vided into  several  classes  with  inefficient  "teachers."  One 
hour  a  week  for  Scripture  study  is  all  too  little;  and  the 
best  possible  service  for  that  hour  is  required.  One  good 
teacher  over  each  department  of  the  school  to  teach,  with 
several  helpers  over  classes  to  take  records,  assist  in  keep- 
ing order,  and  to  follow  up  absent  scholars,  would  be  a 
tremendous  gain  over  the  tolerance  of  inefficient  teachers 
who  know  neither  their  lessons  nor  their  pupils,  much  less 
precise  pedagogical  principles. 

The  First  Baptist  Sunday-school  of  Chelsea,  Mass.,  be- 
lieves in  "large  classes  and  successful  teachers" ;  and  that 
there  is  special  reason  for  this  plan  in  adult  classes,  feel- 
ing not  only  that  it  is  easier  to  find  one  teacher  with  the 
necessary  qualifications  than  to  find  a  dozen,  but  also  that 
there  is  a  gain  in  the  sense  of  freedon  in  class  conference, 
and  that  there  are  many  who  will  come  to  a  large  adult 
class  who  would  hesitate  to  join  a  smaller  one. 

IV.  Graded  examinations.  The  quarterly  examina- 
tions are  written  answers  to  printed  questions,  though  oral 
examinations  are  sometimes  resorted  to.  The  examina- 
tions mark  the  progress  of  the  pupil  and  determine  his 
standing  in  the  school.  In  Trinity  Sunday-school,  Newport, 

43 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

R.  I.,  examinations  are  held  quarterly.  They  are  written, 
and  the  questions  are  prepared  for  the  departments  by  the 
superintendent,  different  sets  being  used  for  the  different 
departments.  These  examinations  are  compulsory,  and  no 
pupil  is  allowed  to  go  from  one  quarter  to  another  with- 
out coming  up  to  his  duty  in  this  regard.  Consequently 
attendance  on  examination  Sunday  is  usually  larger  than 
at  any  other  time.  The  examinations  are  conducted  with 
strictness  and  care,  so  that  the  papers  are  in  reality  rec- 
ords of  what  the  pupils  know  or  do  not  know.  The  terms 
begin  at  the  same  time  in  day-school  and  Sunday-school ; 
examinations  are  practically  simultaneous.  Preceding 
the  examination,  a  stereopticon  lecture  on  the  quarter's 
work  is  given,  and  the  pupils  have  the  whole  subject  pre- 
sented to  them  in  the  light  of  the  whole,  which  is  a  great 
help. 

In  the  Olivet  Memorial  Stmday-school,  New  York, 
three  written  examinations  are  conducted  in  the  different 
departments  during  the  year,  the  examinations  being  held 
on  week  evenings.  In  the  Preparatory  and  Primary  De- 
partments the  teachers  read  the  questions  to  the  children, 
and  write  their  answers. 

In  the  Second  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Holyoke,  Mass., 
from  the  Primary  to  the  Junior  Department  the  scholars 
are  graduated  by  oral  examinations,  certificates  being 
given  to  each  scholar  so  graduated.  From  the  Junior  to 
the  Intermediate  Departments  scholars  are  graduated  by 
written  examinations,  and  for  extra  work  laid  out  by  the 
superintendent  are  given  extra  seals  upon  their  certifi- 
cates, some  scholars  having  as  high  as  seven  seals,  other 
scholars  having  only  one,  but  all  graduating  into  the 
Intermediate  Department. 

In  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Allentown, 
Pa.,  on  the  last  Sabbath  in  March  examinations  are  held 
in  the  following  way :   Both  Junior  and  Intermediate  De- 

44 


THE  GRADED  SCHOOL 

partment  teachers  exchange  with  each  other  in  their  re- 
spective departments.  Usually  the  teacher  that  has  done 
good  work  is  exchanged  to  a  class  where  the  teacher  has 
not  accomplished  so  much.  The  reason  for  this  is  that 
both  may  see  by  comparison  what  has  been  done,  one 
will  be  encouraged  to  do  more  that  goes  to  a  poorer  class, 
the  other  to  do  better. 

Lists  of  printed  questions  for  quarterly  reviews  can  be 
purchased  at  a  nominal  cost  from  the  various  Sunday- 
school  supply  publishing  houses,  or  from  the  publishing 
houses  of  the  respective  courses  of  study. 

I  am  impressed  through  careful  study  of  a  large  number 
of  graded  schools  that  thorough  and  exacting  work  does 
not  militate  against,  but  rather  enhances,  the  success  of 
a  school.  In  grading  the  work,  as  in  other  goodly  en- 
deavors, we  must  exercise  the  beautiful  graces  of  patience 
and  persistence.  We  cannot  reach  our  ideal  at  once ;  nev- 
ertheless, we  should  never  let  go  of  it.  That  was  a  true 
educator  who  said  that  one  can  grow  a  squash  in  a  few 
weeks,  but  it  takes  a  hundred  years  or  more  to  grow  an 
oak. 

V.  How  to  organize  a  graded  Sunday-school.  Call 
your  teachers  and  officers  together,  with  the  approval  of 
the  pastor.  Tell  them  of  the  inspiring  results  of  the  new 
system.  Show  them  that  it  is  simple  and  practicable,  and 
as  essential  in  religious  as  in  secular  education.  Decide 
on  your  course  of  study.  Then  divide  the  school  into 
departments  with  their  respective  classes,  but  not  on  hard- 
and-fast  lines  as  to  age  and  requirements.  It  is  better  to 
make  allowances  in  organizing,  following  the  wishes  of 
teachers  as  to  the  proper  departments  for  their  classes. 
As  the  years  go  on,  the  school  will  more  and  more  come 
into  the  desired  form  as  a  graded  school,  the  various  de- 
partments representing  the  prescribed  ages  and  require- 
ments.     I   believe  that  even  our  smaller  Bible-schools, 

45 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

through  inaugurating  the  graded  system,  and  through 
reasonable  fideUty  to  its  simple  plans,  will  *'wax  strong," 
increase  in  numbers,  and  behold  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness in  manifold  new  forms. 

One  who  desires  to  study  the  graded  school  in  a  more 
scientific  way  will  be  helped  by  'Trinciples  and  Ideals  for 
the  Sunday-school,"  ^  by  Burton  and  Matthews.  This 
recent  book  is  one  of  the  best  published,  treating  of  the 
work  of  the  teacher  and  of  the  graded  school. 
^  The  University  of  Chicago  Press,  publishers,  Chicago,  111. 


46 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   CRADLE   ROLL,    KINDERGARTEN   OR   BEGINNERS'    CLASS, 
AND  THE  PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT 

With  this  subject  we  are  at  the  foundation  of  the  whole 
work  of  the  Church,  as  well  as  at  the  beginning  of  such 
work.  Let  the  Church  tie  to  the  babies  as  soon  as  the 
little  ones  are  born;  when  they  are  old  enough  to  toddle 
to  what  Froebel  calls  a  *'child-garden,"  go  with  them  to 
the  gate-beautiful  of  God's  house;  and  then,  let  the 
Church  keep  its  hold  on  these  precious  lives  through  youth 
up  to  old  age — and  the  problem  of  Christianity  is  solved ! 

I.  How  are  we  to  reach  the  babies?  The  Cradle  Roll 
is  our  answer.  Every  baby  of  the  congregation,  or  of 
the  community — on  which  no  other  church  has  claim — 
has  its  name  enrolled  on  a  large  card,  with  date  of  birth.^ 

The  Cradle  Roll  usually  has  a  conspicuous  place  in  some 
department  of  the  Sunday-school.  When  a  name  is  en- 
rolled, a  beautiful  picture  and  certificate  combined,  suit- 
able for  framing,  may  be  given  the  parents  of  the  child. 
The  name  of  the  child,  date  of  birth  and  date  of  enrol- 
ment are  inscribed  on  the  certificate,  which  is  signed  by 
the  pastor,  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school,  and 
by  the  superintendent  of  the  Cradle  Roll  Department. 
The  Toledo  Sunday-school  Supply  Company,  Toledo, 
Ohio,  publishes  beautiful  Cradle  Roll  certificates  in  col- 
ored inks,  at  a  nominal  cost. 

*  Such  rolls  can  be  obtained  at  small  cost  from  any  Sunday- 
school  supply  company. 

47 


48 


"  o  £  <5  £  ,5 

V  V  4.1  £  w  (/> 


i  I 


49 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  enrolment  card  on  page  49  is  used  in  the  Baptist 
Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  This  card  inter- 
ests parents. 

On  their  birthdays  the  children  whose  names  appear 
on  the  roll  are  remembered  by  prayer,  and  also  by  the 
teacher  in  calling  at  the  house  and  bringing,  usually,  a 
pretty  birthday  card.  Other  cards  of  greeting  as  the  chil- 
dren grow  older  are  helpful. 


Dear  Little  Friend: 

When  you  -were  baptised ^  ive  promised,  as  a  Church, 
to  have  a  ivatch-care  over  you. 

This  little  card  is  sent  you  that  you  may  knoiv  that 
ive  have  not  forgotten  our  pledge. 

Our  prayers  are  for  you  always,  and  our  best  wishes 
for  a  very  happy  and  a  very  useful  life. 
Tour  friends, 

y.   Wilbur  Chapman, 

For  the  Pastors, 
yohn  Wanamaker, 

For  the  Elders. 


Some  schools  read  the  Cradle  Roll  on  Children's  Day, 
and  at  Christmas  send  the  little  tots  a  gift.  Parents  ap- 
preciate such  remembrances,  and  their  hearts  warm 
toward  the  Sunday-school.  Therefore,  they  respond  to 
the  request  to  bring  or  send  their  little  ones  to  the  school 
as  soon  as  they  are  old  enough. 

In  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  To- 
peka,  Kan.,  a  ''guardian  angel"  (usually  a  bright  little 
girl)  is  appointed  to  visit  the  child  and  see  that  it  is 
brought  into  the  Primary  Department  when  old  enough 
to  attend.  On  ''Babies'  Day"  the  "guardian  angels"  see 
that  all  babies  enrolled  are  present. 

The  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Church,  Boston,  Mass., 
sends  mite  boxes  to  the  homes  represented  by  the  Cradle 
Roll  for  the  pennies  that  the  parents  may  wish  to  give  in 

50 


KINDERGARTEN  OR  BEGINNERS'  DEPARTMENT 

behalf  of  their  Httle  ones.  Occasionally  this  school  has  a 
social  and  mite-box  opening,  when  the  mothers  bring  the 
babies  for  a  good  time. 

The  Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  has  an  at- 
tractive plan.  In  the  Kindergarten  room  is  a  cradle, 
trimmed  prettily,  and  on  the  cradle  are  hung  little  cards 
with  the  names  of  the  babies  on  the  Cradle  Roll.  This 
is  an  object  lesson  to  the  church,  as  well  as  to  the  little 
ones.  Members  of  the  congregation  occasionally  visit  the 
department  especially  to  see  the  cradle  with  its  pretty 
cards  that  tell  of  coming  scholars. 

XL  The  Kindergarten  or  Beginners'  Department. 
When  we  can  make  the  Sunday-school  hour  attractive  even 
for  little  folks  of  from  three  to  six  years  of  age — so  attract- 
ive that  they  look  forward  to  it  from  week's  end  to  week's 
end,  there  is  chance  of  starting  them  in  right  directions  and 
with  implanted  Christian  principles !  This  is  what  is 
being  done  in  the  Kindergarten,  or  Beginners'  Depart- 
ment, of  the  Sunday-school.  Some  insist  on  saying  "Be- 
ginners' Department."  But  why  be  afraid  of  the  word 
"Kindergarten"?  It  is  of  Christian  birth,  and  of  bless- 
ing to  countless  millions.  When  Froebel  was  dying 
he  said  he  had  "labored  to  make  Christianity  a  reality." 
Such  is  the  purpose  of  the  Kindergarten.  We  dare  not 
ignore  its  method.  Little  ones  that  are  happily  taught 
by  it  in  the  day-schools  will  not  come  to  a  church  school 
that  ignores  the  principles  and  methods  of  the  new  educa- 
tion. Why  should  the  Church  be  less  vigilant  than  the 
State?  Is  her  mission  less?  We  need  to  commence  in 
the  best  possible  way  with  children  when  they  commence 
their  church  life.  Therefore,  w^e  welcome  the  Kinder- 
garten. There  is  nothing  that  can  take  its  place.  How 
is  it  adapted  to  the  purposes  of  the  Beginners'  Depart- 
ment of  the  Sunday-school  ? 

Children  are  brought  to  the  Kindergarten  at  the  earliest 

51 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

possible  age.  The  Kindergarten  may  meet  at  the  regular 
Sunday-school  hour,  or  it  may  be  held  during  the  hour 
of  church  service,  that  the  parents  may  go  together  to  the 
service  of  worship,  at  the  same  time  knowing  that  their 
children  are  in  good  keeping.  Where  possible,  the  Kin- 
dergarten should  be  put  in  charge  of  a  trained  kinder- 
garten teacher.  True,  with  the  majority  of  schools  this 
is  not  possible.  But  it  is  possible  to  train  teachers  for 
this  work,  equipping  them  in  a  short  time  for  entering 
upon  it.  For  those  who  love  children,  Foster's  ''Kinder- 
garten of  the  Church"  ^  is  a  fascinating  book,  full  of  in- 
structions and  suggestions  for  this  very  work,  telling 
what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it.  Then,  for  the  class- work 
of  Bible  instruction  one  should  have  ''Kindergarten  Sto- 
ries for  the  Sunday-school  and  Home,"  ^  by  Laura  Ella 
Cragin,  and  "The  Kindergarten  Sunday-school,"  ^  by 
Frederica  Beard.  These  are  two  excellent  books,  with 
lessons  prepared  by  experts.  With  such  equipment,  ear- 
nest, prayerful  teachers  will  find  blessing  and  success  in 
their  work.  In  adapting  methods  from  day-school,  it  is, 
indeed,  needful  to  know,  as  experienced  kindergartners 
warn  us,  just  how  far  such  methods  will  be  truly  useful  in 
the  Sunday-school. 

A  suggestion  of  the  practical  application  of  kindergar- 
ten principles  to  Sunday-school  work  is  best  given,  per- 
haps, by  a  word  picture  of  a  Sunday-school  kindergarten. 
Mrs.  F.  G.  Cressy  describes  the  Kindergarten  of  the  Hyde 
Park  Baptist  Church,  Chicago,  111.,  saying  in  part  that 
the  Kindergarten  is  in  a  "bright,  cheery  room,  with 
forty  happy  little  folks  ranging  from  two  and  a  half  to 
six  years.      The  children  leave  their  wraps  in  an  adjoin- 

*  Eaton  and  Mains,  publishers,  New  York  and  Cincinnati. 
^  Winona    Publishing   Company,   publishers,    195    State    Street, 
Chicago. 
^  Published  by  the  Pilgrim  Press,  Boston,  Mass. 

52 


KINDERGARTEN  OR  BEGINNERS'  DEPARTMENT 

ing  cloak-room,  and  so  have  perfect  freedom  for  the  morn- 
ing's work  and  play.  One  after  another  steps  into  the 
circle  with  a  'Good-morning,  boys  and  girls,'  to  which 
all  respond.  Then  comes  a  little  talk  of  the  things  that 
have  interested  them  during  the  week,  and  each  is  led  in 
turn  to  tell  of  something  that  has  come  into  his  life;  or, 
perhaps,  the  subject  is  thankfulness,  and  the  children  are 
full  of  the  things  for  which  they  are  grateful.  Following 
this  little  talk,  which  joins  the  week  at  home  with  the 
Sunday-school,  there  is  usually  a  prayer,  something 
which  even  the  smallest  tot  understands  and  feels  is  his. 
Then  follows  a  song  or  two,  short  and  simple,  chosen  by 
the  children.  Occasionally  there  are  motion  songs  to  rest 
the  little  arms  and  legs.  For  the  offering,  some  one  is 
asked  to  bring  three  boxes  from  a  near-by  table  and  place 
them  on  the  floor  in  the  middle  of  the  circle.  These  are 
ordinary  pasteboard  boxes  with  slits  in  the  covers.  One 
has  the  picture  of  a  church  on  it,  and  the  pennies  that  go 
in  there  are  for  the  support  of  'our  church  and  Sunday- 
school'  ;  another  has  the  picture  of  an  aged  man  and 
wife,  and  the  pennies  it  gets  help  to  pay  the  rent  of  a 
needy  couple  living  in  the  stockyards  district,  who  have 
been  adopted  by  the  Elementary  Department  as  'Grand- 
pa and  Grandma' ;  while  the  third  shows  a  group  of  chil- 
dren from  lands  across  the  sea,  and  this  money  carries 
the  story  of  Jesus  to  these  far-away  little  brothers  and 
sisters.  Before  the  pennies  are  given  these  little  things 
are  talked  over,  Sunday  after  Sunday,  so  that  as  they 
go,  sometimes  in  pairs,  sometimes  singly,  to  deposit  their 
gifts — and  we  notice  that  it  is  nearly  always  more  than 
one  penny — they  do  so  in  an  intelligent  manner,  which 
must  count  for  much  in  their  later  years  of  giving.  There  is 
also  the  birthday  box,  which  nearly  every  Sunday  receives 
its  contribution,  and  always  with  the  questioning  about 
the  use  of  the  money  and  the  answer  'to  send  flowers  to 

53 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the  sick  children.'  There  are  usually  two  Bible  stories  dur- 
ing the  morning,  for  the  sessions  last  from  half- 
past  nine  till  noon.  The  first  is  chosen  by  some  child 
from  those  that  have  been  told  on  previous  Sundays — a 
review  it  would  be  called  in  an  older  class.  Then,  as  a 
change,  a  march  round  the  room  is  begun.  It  is  not 
called  that,  however,  but  by  skilful  questioning  the  chil- 
dren decide  that  as  it  is  Sunday,  the  thing  to  do  is  to  go 
to  church,  and  that  besides  the  fathers  and  mothers,  the 
children  are  to  be  taken,  too.  So  the  larger  children,  per- 
sonifying their  elders,  choose  smaller  ones,  and  start  in  or- 
derly procession  toward  the  imaginary  church.  After 
this  exercise  the  children  are  again  seated,  and  another, 
and  this  time  a  new,  Bible  story  is  skilfully  told,  often 
illustrated  with  pictures  so  dear  to  th*e  child  heart.  .  .  . 
The  children  are  encouraged  to  talk,  adding  anything 
from  their  personal  experience  which  the  story  may  sug- 
gest. In  this  the  utmost  freedom  is  allowed,  yet  it  does 
not  result  in  disorder,  for  the  children  are  too  much  in- 
terested to  care  for  mischief.  .  .  .  Kindergarten  tables 
are  brought  into  use,  and  grouped  about  these,  in  charge 
of  the  assistants,  the  children  draw  with  colored  crayons 
pictures  of  the  story  they  have  heard.  These  are,  to  be 
sure,  very  crude,  often  entirely  unintelligible  to  an  older 
person,  but  full  of  meaning  to  the  child,  who  takes  his 
drawing  home  and  explains  it  to  his  parents.  Then  fol- 
lows another  period  of  exercise.  By  this  time  the  main 
room,  occupied  by  the  older  divisions  of  the  Elementary 
Department,  is  vacant,  for  the  morning  service  is  begun, 
and  so  the  rolling  partitions  are  lifted  and  the  children 
go  farther.  Once  again  action  serves  to  illustrate  in 
some  way  the  story  just  told.  One  day  it  is  a  mission 
lesson,  and  they  play  they  are  missionaries,  and  some  go 
to  Africa,  and  some  to  Japan,  to  tell  the  story.  Another 
time  they  are  a  long  train  of  cars,  or  again  horses  and 

54 


PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT 

wagons,  carrying  imaginary  bundles  of  clothing  and  fruit 
to  the  less  fortunate  children  at  the  University  Settle- 
ment. Returning  to  the  tables,  the  same  idea  is  followed 
with  the  use  of  blocks,  sand,  clay  and  other  materials. 
Storehouses  are  built  of  blocks  when  the  story  of  Joseph 
has  been  told,  or  railroad  trains  of  different-colored  beads 
strung  on  a  shoestring  take  some  one  across  the  country 
to  tell  the  story  of  Jesus  to  the  Indians.  At  last  comes 
the  good-by  song,  with  its  little  prayer  for  God's  tender 
care,  a  personal  good-by  and  a  handshake  for  each  child 
from  the  leader,  and  the  morning's  work  is  over.  .  .  .  The 
following  results  are  credited  to  this  work : 

"i.  The  parents  can  attend  church  service,  leaving  the 
children  in  the  Kindergarten. 

"2.  The  children  do  not  tire  of  the  session,  even  though 
held  two  hours  and  a  half,  but  look  forward  to  the  day 
with  pleasure  during  the  entire  week. 

''3.  They  readily  distinguish  between  the  Sunday- 
school  Kindergarten  and  the  Day  Kindergarten. 

''4.  They  apply  the  lessons  more  frequently  to  every- 
day life.  The  pictures  and  blocks  used  help  greatly  to 
fix  the  thoughts  more  firmly  and  help  to  recall  them. 

''5.  Children  under  six  remember  what  they  do,  not 
what  people  say."  ^ 

III.  The  Primary  Department.  Though  believing  in 
the  Kindergarten,  I  yet  realize  that  it  is  impracticable  in 
a  great  number  of  schools.  When  it  is  impracticable, 
the  work  of  Bible  instruction  can  still  be  made  of  telling 
interest  to  little  folks  through  the  improved  methods  of 
Primary  Departments,  such  as  teaching  by  means  of  ob- 
ject lessons  and  stories,  the  use  of  motion  songs  and 
marching,  that  at  once  teach  and  rest  the  children;  the 
development  of  memory  in  teaching  children  by  means 
of  what  they  do,  memorizing  passages  of  Scripture  that 
^Journal  and  Messenger,  Thursday,  March  5,  1903,  Cincinnati. 

55 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

have  been  carefully  explained ;  the  use  of  the  blackboard, 
charts,  etc.     These  improved  methods  have  been  inspired, 
doubtless,  by  the  Kindergarten,  but  are  operative  without 
its  elaborate  details  and  costly  materials. 
Practical  plans  for  class  work: — 

1.  First  of  all  there  should  be  a  definite  programme  of 
exercises.  This  is  essential  that  (i)  ''everything  may 
be  done  decently  and  in  order";  (2)  that  precious  time 
may  not  be  wasted  through  needless  conference,  asking, 
"What  shall  we  do  next?"  "What  shall  we  sing?"  etc.; 
(3)  that  there  may  be  sustained  interest,  discipline  and 
order;  (4)  that  more  work  and  better  work  may  be  accom- 
plished in  a  given  time ;  ( 5 )  that  the  work  may  be  easier 
for  all,  and  more  attractive  to  all. 

2.  Order  of  exercises.  Our  object  in  the  Pri- 
mary Department,  as  elsewhere  in  the  school,  is  two- fold : 
for  the  cultivation  of  the  spirit  of  worship  and  for  the 
inculcation  of  Bible  teaching ;  the  one  being  accomplished 
through  the  education  of  the  emotions,  the  latter  through 
the  instruction  of  the  mind.  For  the  cultivation  of  the 
spirit  of  worship  itself  we  have  our  songs,  prayers.  Scrip- 
ture, etc.  What,  therefore,  should  be  the  nature  of  these 
exercises?  They  must  be  such  as  are  in  keeping  with 
the  spirit  and  purpose  of  our  work,  and  such  as  are 
adapted  and  appeal  to  the  child  mind.  What  will  serve 
our  purpose?  The  answer  to  this  question  is  vital,  and 
one  for  which  many  workers  long.  For  an  order  of  exer- 
cises approaching  the  ideal,  I  present  one  prepared  by  Mr. 
W.  D.  Murray,  of  the  Primary  Department  of  the  Cres- 
cent Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  Plainfield,  N.  J. : — 

CLASS    PROGRAMME    FOR    PRIMARY    DEPARTMENT. 

I.     Teacher:     Good-morning   (or  afternoon),  scholars. 
Class:     Good-morning  (or  afternoon),  Miss  . 

56 


PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT 

Teacher:     Whose  day  is  this? 

Class  :     This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made.     We 
will  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  it. 
Teacher:     How  does  God  say  we  must  keep  His  day? 
Class  :     Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy 

2.  Song: 

Safely  through  another  week, 
God  has  brought  us  on  our  way. 

Let  us  now  a  blessing  seek, 
Waiting  in   His   courts   to-day. 

Day  of  all  the  week  the  best. 
Emblem  of  eternal  rest. 

3.  God's  House. 

Teacher:     Were  you  glad  to  come  to  Sunday-school? 

Class  :  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me,  Let  us  go  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord. 

Teacher:     Who  comes  to  meet  us  here? 

Class:  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them. 

4.  Song.      (Tune,  "What  a  Friend  We  Have  in  Jesus!") 

God  is  in  His  holy  temple. 
Praise,  O  praise  His  name  to-day. 

And  remember  that  He  hears  us 
When  we  sing  and  when  we  pray. 

5-     God's  words. 

Teacher:     Whose  words  do  we  study? 

Class:     God's  words  in  the  Bible. 

Teacher:     What  does  the  Bible  say  about  God's  words? 

Class:     More  to  be  desired  are  they  than  gold. 

6.     Song.     (Special  music.) 

What  book  ought  T  to  love  the  best, 
And  on  its  truth  securely  rest? 
The   Bible,  the   Bible, 
God's  blessed  book,  the  Bible. 

What  teaches  me  to  love  my  foe. 
And  acts  of  kindness  to  him  show? 
The  Bible,  the  Bible, 
God's  blessed  book,  the  Bible. 

57 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

7.     Recitation.     Psalm  23. 
Response,  all  saying: 

Oh,  Father,  hear  us 
And  answer  our  prayer. 
Hear,  hear  Thy  children 
Now,  O  Lord. 


8. 

The  Lord's  Prayer. 

9. 

Roll  call. 

10. 

Collection. 

II. 

Song. 

Hear  the  pennies  dropping, 

Listen  as  they  fall. 

Every  one  for  Jesus, 

He  shall  have  them  all. 

Chorus  : 
Dropping,  dropping,  dropping,  dropping. 

Listen  as  they   fall. 
Dropping  in  the  mite-box — 

Offerings  great  and  small. 

12.  Prayer  for  the  offering: 

Jesus,  bless  the  pennies  brought  Thee, 
Give  them  something  sweet  to  do. 

May  they  help  some  one  to  love  Thee. 
Jesus,  may  we  love  Thee,  too. 

13.  Singing.     Selection  by  a  member  of  the  school. 

14.  Study  of  the  lesson  in  classes. 

15.  General  teaching  of  the  school  as  a  whole  by  the  super- 
intendent, with  illustrations. 

16.  Recitation  of  the  twelve  apostles   (in  unison  or  by  indi- 
viduals). 

17.  Closing  hymn: 

Jesus,  from  Thy  throne  on  high. 
Far  above  the  bright  blue  sky, 
Look  on  us  with  loving  eye. 
Hear  us,  holy  Jesus. 

58 


PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT 

Grant  us  love,  Thy  love  to  own, 
Love  to  live  for  Thee  alone, 
And  the  power  of  grace  made  known, 
Hear  us,  holy  Jesus. 

i8.     Closing  prayer : 

Dear  Jesus,  ere  we  part  we  lift  our  hearts  to  Thee 
In  gratitude  and  praise  for  blessings  full  and  free. 
Go  with  us  to  our  homes,  watch  o'er  and  keep  us  there, 
And  make  us,  one  and  all,  the  children  of  Thy  care. 

Amen. 

The  above  order  of  exercises  admits  of  variations.  We 
would  especially  suggest  changes  at  intervals  of  the  songs 
and  prayers.  No  one  is  sooner  wearied  by  the  "cut  and 
dried,"  or  sooner  criticizes  the  coldly  formal  than  little 
children. 

A  new  verse  of  Scripture  memorized  every  Sunday  is 
helpful  in  developing  the  memory,  and  in  storing  the 
mind  with  priceless  treasure  for  the  years  to  come, — a 
verse,  mark  you;  not  a  chapter,  but  a  verse.  There  is 
such  a  thing  as  attempting  too  much.  But  one  verse  a 
Sunday  means  fifty-two  in  the  year. 

For  further  preparation  and  suggestion  for  devotional 
exercises,  one  may  profitably  consult  "Primary  Sunday- 
school  Exercises,"  '  by  Mrs.  E.  M.  Hoffman.  For  songs, 
responsive  readings,  lessons  about  the  Bible,  motion  Bible 
recitations,  and  special  services  for  special  days,  one  may 
profitably  use  "Special  Songs  and  Services  for  Primary 
and  Intermediate  Classes,"  No.  i  and  No.  2,^  by  Mrs. 
M.  G.  Kennedy.  Another  book  that  schools  should  have 
is  "Songs  and  Games  for  Little  Ones,"  ^  by  Gertrude 
Walker  and  Harriet  S.  Jenks. 

^  Eaton  and  Mains,  publishers.  New  York  and  Cincinnati. 
*  W.  A.  Wilde  Company,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 
'  Oliver  Ditson   Company,  publishers,   Boston,   New  York, 
Philadelphia  and  Chicago. 

59 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

3.  The  subject  matter  of  the  lesson.  What  lessons 
should  be  taught?  One  of  the  best  courses  of  study 
for  this  department  is,  we  believe,  that  of  "Bible  Les- 
sons for  Little  Beginners"^  (Fifty-two  Lessons,  com- 
prising the  First  Year  of  a  Two- Year  Course),  by  Mrs. 
Margaret  J.  Cushman  Haven.  These  lessons  in  mat- 
ter,— being  true  Scripture  lessons, — and  in  the  manner 
in  which  they  are  presented,  render  them  of  exceptional 
value,  exactly  suited  to  the  work  in  hand,  and  of  appeal- 
ing interest  to  children.  In  addition  to  these  studies,  pri- 
mary workers  should  keep  in  mind  the  importance  of 
simple  supplementary  lessons.^ 

4.  The  method  of  teaching.  We  do  not  now  refer 
to  the  laws  and  primary  requisites  of  teaching,  which  are 
considered  in  another  chapter,  but  our  question  is, 
"Should  the  teaching  in  the  Primary  Department  be  from 
the  desk  through  one  person,  or  in  classes  through  sev- 
eral teachers,  or  both?  Each  school  must  decide.  The 
usual  plan  is  to  divide  the  class  into  several  groups  ac- 
cording to  ages, — promoting  pupils  from  group  to  group 
from  time  to  time, — about  one-third  of  the  teaching  time 
being  used  by  the  teachers  in  the  groups ;  then  the  chairs 
are  turned  round  so  that  the  department  appears  as  one 
class,  when  the  lesson  is  skilfully  taught  and  reviewed 
by  the  superintendent,  who  makes  use  of  the  blackboard, 
charts,  pictures,  or  various  objects  suited  to  the  teaching 
of  the  lesson. 

5.  Encouraging  the  little  ones  to  learn  the  Golden 
Text  and  the  Sunday-school  lesson.  In  the  Primary  De- 
partment of  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Allen- 
town,  Pa.,  a  text  card  is  given  every  Sabbath  to  each 

*  Fleming  H.  Revell  Company,  publishers.  New  York,  Chi- 
cago and  Toronto. 

"  See  Chapter  HI.  on  The  Graded  School  and  Outlines  of 
Study,  etc. 

60 


PRIMARY  DEPARTMENT 


pupil  who  recites  the  Golden  Text  to  the  teacher.  Twelve 
of  such  cards  are  exchanged  for  a  reward  card  that  is 
beautifully  illustrated.  In  the  Primary  grade  of  the  Beth- 
lehem Sunday-school,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  each  child 
knowing  his  lesson  receives  a  little  white  card  bearing  an 
appropriate  motto.  Five  of  such  cards  may  be  exchanged 
for  a  little  picture  card  bearing  a  Scripture  verse. 
Five  of  these  picture  cards  can  be  exchanged  for  a  larger 
card,  which  the  pupil  keeps ;  and  five  of  these  larger  cards 
entitle  a  pupil  to  a  large  card  of  honor,  upon  which  is 
written  his  name  and  the  names  of  his  teacher  and  su- 
perintendent. 

Quarterly  reports  are  another  incentive  to  study  and 
fidelity. 


For  the  Quarter  Ending  March  31,  1903. 
SUNDAY-SCHOOL  OF  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH, 

M.  M.  Shand,  Superintendent.              Rev.  S.  H.  Greene,  D.D.,  Pastor. 

1 

Jan.         6 
Jan.        13 
Jan.      20 
Jan.       27 
Feb.        3 
Feb.      10 
Feb.       17 
Feb.     24 
March     3 
March  10 
March   17 
March  24 
March  31 

Attend- 
ance. 

On 
Time. 

Offer- 
ing. 

Bible 
Text. 

PICTURE   OF 
CHURCH   HERE. 

' 

cor.  8th  and  h  sts.  n.  w 
washington,  d.  c. 

LYDIA   MARSHALL, 
A  sso.  Supt.  in  Charge  Primary  Depar 

As 

tment. 
sistant. 

61 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Caution!  This  is  our  word  with  such  systems  of 
awards.  We  must  make  allowance  for  the  dull  child  who 
in  the  Sunday-school  often  must  have  place  alongside  of 
the  apt  child.  The  dull  child  may  be  as  conscientious  and 
as  earnest  in  endeavor.  Because  workers  have  ignored 
this,  made  no  allowance,  and  withheld  needed  encourage- 
ment, some  educators  condemn  the  whole  system  of 
awards  and  prizes  as  unfair.  Our  contention  is  that  such 
systems  should  be  rightly  used  and  not  abused. 

6.  Special  programmes  and  invitations  can  be  used 
with  special  advantage  with  the  little  ones.  The  postal 
card  on  page  63  is  suggestive  of  a  use  of  the  mimeograph 
in  the  Primary  Grade. 

7.  Offerings.  The  purpose  and  spirit  of  offerings 
should  be  carefully,  and  occasionally,  explained  to  the 
children.  The  methods  spoken  of  in  the  Kindergarten 
offerings  may  be  employed  here.  Some  surprising  an- 
swers are  given  when  one  asks  untaught  children  who 
are  giving,  "What  is  the  money  for?"  For  the  purpose 
of  teaching  children  to  give  regularly  envelopes  may  be 
used,  lettered  in  one  instance  as  follows : 


Primary   Department. 

FIRST  BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

PLAINFIELD,  N.  J. 

To  THE  Parents: 

Enclosed,  please  find  twelve  small  envelopes,  one  for  each  Sunday  of 
the  quarter  just  opening,  into  which  the  child's  contribution  of  money 
should  be  put.  Please  see  that  the  envelope  is  carefully  sealed  and  put 
into  the  child's  pocket,  with  instructions  not  to  take  it  out  until  reaching 
the  Sunday-school.  Children  should  be  helped  to  write  their  names  on 
the  envelopes. 

We  have  adopted  this  envelope  system  for  two  reasons. 

1.  To  make  the  children  regular  givers  of  small  amounts  rather  than 
occasional  givers  of  larger  sums. 

2.  To  prevent  them  from  losing  their  money,  which  they  often  do. 
As  far  as  possible,  encourage  the  children  to  earn  what  they  put  into 

their  envelope. 

Where  there  is  more  than  one  scholar  in  a  family,  kindly  try  to  have 
each  bring  his  own  numbered  envelope,  as  we  know  the  scholars  by  their 
numbers  only.  Faithfully  yours, 

Mrs.  J.  A.  POWLISON. 


In  the  Bethlehem  Sunday-school,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  the 

62 


63 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

picture  of  the  orphan  child  in  India  for  whom  the  chil- 
dren's mission  money  is  used  hangs  on  the  wall. 

Appropriate  service  of  prayer  and  song  on  the  occasion 
of  pupils  bringing  birthday  "pennies"  is  mentioned  in  the 
chapter  on  offerings. 

8.  For  the  further  help  of  the  Primary  Department 
there  should  be  acquaintance  with  the  methods  employed 
in  the  interesting  of  children  in  other  departments  of  the 
school,  such  as  the  use  of  banners,  rolls,  star  classes,  etc. 
Some  of  these  methods  can  be  helpfully  adapted  to  the 
needs  of  the  Primary  Department. 

Certificates  of  promotion  should  be  used  in  this  as  well 
as  in  the  other  departments  of  the  Sunday-school.^ 

9.  The  published  helps  on  primary  work  are  few. 
Teachers  will  find  serviceable  suggestions  in  Practical 
Primary  Plans  for  Primary  Teachers,"  by  Israel  P.  Black, 
The  Blackboard  in  the  Sunday-school,^  by  Henry  Turner 
Bailey,  and  Pictured  Truth,''  by  Rev.  Robert  F.  Y.  Pierce. 
Teachers  may  profitably  consult  also  The  Sunday-school 
Teachers'  Manual,'^  by  Louise  Ordway  Tead,  and  Love 
and  Law  in  Child  Training,^  by  Emilie  Poulsson.  And 
all  who  work  with  the  young  will  find  help  in  Blow's 
Symbolic  Education.^  Object  Method  of  Teaching  Books 
of  the  Bible"^  is  suggestive. 

^  For  diplomas  address  any  Sunday-school  publishing  com- 
pany. 

^  Fleming  H.  Revell  Company,  publishers,  New  York,  Chi- 
cago and  Toronto. 

'  W.  A.  Wilde,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 

*  The  Pilgrim  Press,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 

°  Milton  Bradley  Company,  publishers,  Springfield,  Mass. 

®  D.  Appleton  &  Company,  publishers.  New  York. 

'Address  Mrs.  M.  P.  Higgins,  Worcester,  Mass. 


64 


CHAPTER  V 

ADULT,  YOUNG  MEN^S,  AND  YOUNG  WOMEN's  BIBLE 

CLASSES 

Here  is  a  large  field,  golden,  ready  for  the  harvest !  And 
none  more  inviting,  more  easy  of  access,  or  yielding  larger 
returns.  About  fifty  millions,  or  two-thirds,  of  our 
population  are  adults.  But  few  of  this  number,  however, 
are  in  Bible-schools.  Indeed,  adults  are  a  mere  fraction 
of  their  enrolled  membership.  Again,  only  five  to  seven 
per  cent,  of  men  are  church  communicants,  and  only  twen- 
ty-five per  cent,  attend  church.  On  the  other  hand,  many 
of  those  churches  which  aim  to  enlist  adults  in  Bible 
study  have  classes  that  outnumber  all  the  other  Sunday- 
school  classes  combined.  And  through  these  adult  classes 
thousands  of  men  and  women  are  being  brought 
into  the  fold  of  Christ.  The  Church  and  the  Church- 
school,  therefore,  that  are  not  reaching  and  hold- 
ing adults  have  reason  for  serious  reflection.  They  fail, 
we  believe,  not  through  want  of  piety,  or  sincerity,  or  good 
intention,  but  for  want  of  right  method, — right  method 
of  teaching  and  conducting  the  class,  and  of  Bible  study. 
Our  purpose  in  this  chapter  is  to  speak  to  this  need. 

I.  How  can  we  enlist  and  hold  adults  in  Bible  study? 
If  we  can  satisfactorily  answer  this  question,  we  have 
solved  the  problem  for  the  future  at  least.  Our  grown 
Sunday-school  pupils  will  then  graduate  into  the  Adult 
Department,  and  not  into  the  world!  But  the  scope  of 
modern  Bible  classes  looks  to  an  ingathering  from  the 
world,  as  well  as  to  enlisting  those  that  are  already  in  the 
Church.    How  can  all  this  be  done? 

65 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

I.  First  of  all,  it  is  essential  that  there  should  be  a 
course  of  study  suited  to  mature  minds,  and  a  study  session 
of  such  strength  as  to  make  it  worth  while  to  attend.  The 
Christian  life  is  a  growth,  and  the  Holy  Scriptures  give 
constant  reiteration  of  this  cardinal  fact.  Our  system 
of  study  for  adults,  therefore,  must  be  suited  to  the  age 
and  capacity  of  adults.  Advance  courses  of  study  are 
being  demanded,  and  the  number  of  church  Bible  classes 
that  have  already  entered  upon  advance  courses  of  study 
is  at  once  surprising  and  encouraging.  We  shall  not  at- 
tempt to  justify  this  advance  step, — it  is  not  necessary. 
Soon  everybody  will  be  saying,  *'We  always  believed  in  it." 
What,  then,  are  some  of  the  Bible  courses  suited  to  this 
work? 

( 1 )  The  courses  of  study  arranged  by  the  Bible  Study 
Publishing  Company  of  Boston,  Mass.,^  appeal  to  a  sus- 
tained interest  of  adult  classes.  A  teacher  through  casual 
perusal  of  The  Bible  Study  Manual,  covering  the 
courses  on  Great  Men  of  Israel  and  on  Old  Testament 
Teachings,  at  once  combining  important  practical  and 
doctrinal  teaching,  will  find  a  splendid  outline  of  lessons 
along  new  lines,  and  see  that  in  many  respects  these  are 
superior  courses  of  study. 

(2)  Another  excellent  course  of  study,  and  one  of  the 
best  of  all  plans,  is  that  arranged  by  "The  American  In- 
stitute of  Sacred  Literature,"  of  Hyde  Park,  111.,  and 
alluded  to  in  Chapter  XXH.,  on  Normal  Classes.  A 
special  value  of  this  work  is  that  it  is  a  rotating  course, 
covering  in  four  years  the  main  portions,  and  giving  a 
comprehensive  view  of  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ments, with  an  additional  course  each  year  for  those  who 
have  completed  the  four-years'  course. 

(3)  Miscellaneous  courses  of  study.  Two  or  three 
citations  of  successful  adult  classes  must  suffice  to  sug- 

*  Address,  95  South  Street. 
66 


BIBLE  CLASSES 

gest  the  broader  work  that  is  now  gathering  groups  of 
men  and  women  for  Bible  study.  In  the  First  Congre- 
gational school,  Burlington,  Vt.,  a  course  of  study 
was  followed  on  The  Life  and  Teachings  of  Jesus  Christ, 
arranged  in  Twelve  Studies  in  the  Life  of  Christ,  and 
twenty-nine  Studies  in  the  Teachings  of  Jesus,  the  latter 
being  divided  into  eleven  lessons  on  Righteousness,  five 
lessons  on  Sin,  nine  lessons  on  The  Spiritual  World,  and 
four  lessons  on  The  Son.  The  mere  subject  for  each  les- 
son was  printed,  followed  by  references  to  such  of  the 
Gospels  as  touched  upon  the  lessons.  The  series  of 
studies  were  thus  practically  continued  studies  of  the 
interwoven  Gospels.  For  collateral  reading  the  follow- 
ing helps  were  suggested : 

A  Revised  Bible. 

A  Harmony  of  the  Gospels,  Pittenger. 

Stalker's  Life  of  Christ. 

The  Great  Discourse,  A.  D.  F.  Randolph,  New  York. 

Geikie's  Life  of  Christ. 

Edersheim's  Life  of  Jesus,  the  Messiah. 

Andrews's  Life  of  Our  Lord. 

The  Central  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  of  Auburn, 
N.  Y.,  recently  had  a  series  of  fifty-two  lessons  on  The 
History  of  the  Apostolic  Church.  The  first  lecture,  be- 
ing by  Rev.  Willis  J.  Beecher,  D.D.,  on  Historical  Prep- 
arations for  the  Preaching  of  the  Apostles,  outlined  as 
follows : 

740 — 580  B.C.  Assyrian  and  later  Babylonian  empires.  Is- 
rael and  Judah  carried  into  exile.  Begin- 
nings of  Roman  history. 

538 — 332  B.C.  The  Persian  empire.  Jews  from  India  to 
Ethiopia.  Zerubbabel  and  his  successors 
in  Palestine. 

332 — 142  B.C.  Conquests  of  Alexander  the  Great.  Greek  cit- 
ies built  everywhere.  Septuagint.  Macca- 
bean  wars. 

67 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

About  200  B.C.    Roman  power  becomes  dominant.      Law  and 
to  40  A.D.         order.      Roads.      Pharisees  and   Sadducees. 
Synagogues.      Prayer   places.      Pilgrimages 
to  Jerusalem. 

That  classes  which  expect  to  hold  their  members,  and 
which  use  the  International  Lessons,  feel  the  pressure  of 
some  kind  of  supplemental  work  is  apparent.  Sometimes 
it  is  the  suggestion  of  a  book  to  be  read,  but  some  added 
work,  seemingly,  the  progressive  classes  must  have.  The 
Baraca  Bible  Class  of  the  Baptist  Temple,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  stimulates  reading  by  an  outline  of  study  as  given 
on  the  following  page. 

Good  courses  of  study  for  boys  and  for  men  have  been 
outlined  by  the  International  Committee  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,^  from  whom  they  may  be 
obtained.  These  courses  include  in  part  the  Bible  Study 
Union  Lessons,  course  ( i )  outlined  above. 

Whatever  course  of  study  may  be  pursued,  we  should 
never  forget  that  pupils  have  personal  and  peculiar  needs, 
which  it  is  our  blessed  privilege  and  bounden  duty  to 
meet.  Neither  organization,  nor  scholarship,  nor  "any 
other  creature,"  can  take  the  place  of  personal  touch,  of 
tender  sympathy,  solicitous  interest,  and  a  big,  loving 
heart  that  longs  for  their  every  good,  and  especially  for 
their  eternal  salvation. 

2.  Best  methods  of  class  administration.  At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  ministers  of  the  Reformed  Church,  the  Hon. 
Charles  H.  Knox,  founder  and  leader  of  the  large  adult 
Bible  classes,  in  the  Knox  Memorial  Reformed  Church, 
New  York  City,  spoke  as  follows :  "Many  years  ago  I 
was  impressed  with  the  fact  that  the  most  important  prob- 
lem before  our  Sunday-schools  is  how  to  keep  the  young 
men  and  the  young  women.  I  noticed  that  when  a  boy 
got  to  be  fifteen  he  felt  too  big  for  Sunday-school ;  and 
*  Address  3  West  Twenty-ninth  Street,  New  York. 
68 


BIBLE  CLASSES 


The  words  for  the  topics  are  taken  from  the  Book  of  Job,  but  the 
theme  for  the  lesson  is  found  in  the  scripture  reference  given, 

"  In  the  days  of  my  youth.''''— ^Job. 
Jan.  5.     "The  Promise  of  Power." — Acts  i  :  i-ii. 
Leader,  P.  N.  Gifford. 


"  My  Redeemer  Livethy—Job. 

Jan.  12.     "The  Promise  of  Power  Fulfilled." — Acts 2 : i-ii. 

Leader,  S.  S.  Wood. 


^^ My  record  is  on  high^—Job. 
Jan.  19.     "The  Early  Christian  Church."— /J r/j 2.- j7-^7. 
Leader,  G.  H.  Vogel. 


"  The  hand  0/  God  hath  touched  me.^^—Job. 
Jan.  26.     "The  Lame  Man  Healed." — Actsj  : i-io. 
Leader,  Gilbert  Murdock. 


Read  the  Book  of  Job  during  January.     It  will  pay  you. 


This   month   we  will  take   a   Pilgrimage   with   John   Bunyan  in  his 
delightful  book  "  Pili;rim's  Progress." 

e^^^A  \ki:\\  ''''Dost  thou  see  this  narrow  ivay  ?  That  is 
Goodwill,     i;^^  ^^^  i;,^^  ,„„st  go/' 

Feb.  2.     "The  First  Persecution." — Acts  4:  1-12. 

Leader,  J.  B.  Dickson. 

Worldly  "  ^  "^o^id direct  thee  to  the  obtaining 0/ what 
U/icomTn  thou  desirest  without  dangers  that  thoU  in 
w  iseman.     ^^^^  ^,^^  ^.^^  ^^^  thyself  into:' 

Feb.  g.     "The  Sin  of  Lying."— yicz'j.f  .• /-//. 
Leader,  Harry  Hoare. 

Mistrust  and  ''''Just  before  us  lie  a  couple  of  lions  in  the 
Timorous.  way.'' 

Feb.  16.     "The  Second  Persecution." — Acts s :  17-42- 
Leader,  Arthur  Shiner. 


p_;4i /.„l       "  There  can  be  no  divine  faith  without  a  divine 
raiiniui.     ^g^gi^tion  of  the  will  of  God." 

Feb.  23.     "The  Arrest  of  Stephen." — Acts  b  :  7-13. 

Leader,  G.  H.  Mott. 

Read  "Pilgrim's  Progress"  this  month.     It  will  do  you  good. 


(For    explanation    of    card,    see    page    68.) 

that  when  a  girl  was  seventeen  she  ^vas  Hkely  to  leave 
also;  and  I  found  that  in  many  cases  they  ceased  to  at- 
tend church,  and  very  often  formed  other  associations  for 
Sunday  which  became  habits  for  life.  This  was  before 
the  days  of  kodak  and  bicycle,  and  what  was  true  then  is 

69 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

more  marked  now.  I  tried  to  solve  the  problem  for  the 
Sunday-school  with  which  I  was  connected ;  this  was 
some  twenty-three  years  ago.  It  seemed  to  me  that  hu- 
man nature  was  studied  for  all  other  purposes  except  to 
attract  young  people  of  the  ages  I  have  mentioned  to  a 
Sunday-school.  I  have  been  interested  in  political  meet- 
ings. The  object  of  such  a  meeting  is  not  to  entertain  or 
to  amuse,  but  it  has  a  serious  object:  to  persuade  people 
on  the  tariff  or  on  finance  or  some  other  question,  with 
the  clear  idea  of  gaining  their  votes.  Fireworks  or  a 
brass  band  might  be  used,  but  they  are  subservient  to 
the  end.  And  when  the  speaker  arises  he  does  not  say, 
'You  will  find  my  theme  in  our  party's  last  platform,  in 
such  an  article  and  such  a  line,'  but  he  sets  to  work  to 
get  the  attention.  He  says  all  that  can  be  assimilated 
on  tariff  and  finance,  but  is  careful  not  to  become  prosy. 
And  when  he  thinks  his  audience  might  weary,  he  illus- 
trates by  some  striking  incident  or  personal  experience 
or  something  humorous,  so  that  they  laugh  and  change 
their  positions.  And  yet  he  never  loses  sight  of  the  seri- 
ous business,  the  getting  of  votes,  for  which  the  expense 
of  the  hall,  the  lights,  the  fireworks,  the  music  and  the  ad- 
vertising has  been  incurred.  I  have  in  my  Bible  class 
kept  in  mind  this  necessity  of  variety  in  all  successful 
human  work,  and  I  believe  it  applies  as  much  to  a  Bible 
class  as  to  any  secular  audience.  I  am,  of  course,  ex- 
pressing no  opinion  on  sermons  and  regular  church  ser- 
vices, but  confining  my  remarks  to  Bible  classes,  which  are 
essentially  different,  freer  and  more  colloquial,  than 
church  services." 

Mr.  Knox  places  the  beginning  of  real  Bible  work  on 
the  shoulders  of  the  pastor  in  saying  that  the  "kind  of 
Sunday-school  teachers  you  ministers  have  largely  de- 
pends on  yourselves.  If  you  will  encourage  and  help 
them  all  you  can  they  will  grow.     I  have  often  said,  and 

70 


BIBLE  CLASSES 

I  take  pleasure  in  repeating  it  here,  that  the  development 
and  growth  of  my  Bible  class  during  the  last  ten  years 
have  been  due,  under  Providence,  to  the  sympathetic 
assistance  and  earnest  help  of  my  dear  friend,  the  pastor 
of  our  church." 

The  teachers  also  have  tremendous  responsibility.  Of 
what  avail  are  all  things  else,  if  teachers  fail  ?  The  perti- 
nent consideration  for  superintendents  and  pastors  is,  as 
Mr.  H.  H.  Pike  of  St.  George's  Sunday-school,  New  York, 
puts  it,  '*Hold  strong  men  and  women  as  teachers,  and 
they  will  hold  the  young  men."  The  work  of  the  teacher 
or  class  leader  cannot  be  over-emphasized.  It  is  the 
teacher  who  is  to  awaken  interest,  impart  knowledge,  and 
speak  the  persuasive  word.  In  and  through  all  is  his  per- 
sonality, and  results  are  largely  commensurate  with  his 
own  Christian  experience,  his  care,  and  interest  and  de- 
votion to  his  work.  The  suggestions  of  Mr.  Knox  for 
leaders  of  Bible  classes  are : 

1.  The  leader  must  be  present  every  Sunday. 

2.  He  should  be  there  very  early  and  speak  with  each  one 
as  he  comes  in;  he  should  never  be  in  a  hurry  to  leave,  but 
take  plenty  of  time  to  talk  with  those  who  wish  his  advice. 

3.  Such  a  class  should  take  a  long  summer  vacation,  so  that 
all  will  be  hungry  to  start  again  before  it  is  time. 

4.  In  a  city  such  a  class  should  be  held  in  the  afternoon, 
when  those  who  are  occupied  in  the  morning  are  free. 

5.  The  leader  should  know  each  member  well.  He  need 
not  visit;  that  can  be  done  by  other  members  for  him. 

6.  The  exercises  should  be  different  each  Sunday;  the 
music  should  be  attractive  and  varied. 

7.  The  lesson  should  be  taught  in  twenty  minutes,  and 
should  surely  cover  the  great  truths  of  salvation;  it  should  be 
pointed  and  graphic.  Appropriate  historical,  personal  or 
humorous  illustrations  will  help  it. 

8.  Special  features,  like  a  class  reception  or  an  evening's 
invitation  for  some  appropriate  entertainment,  are  of  great 
use  in  showing  the  interest  of  the  leader,  making  members 
acquainted,  and  bringing  sunshine  into  sad  hearts. 

71 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

9.  The  closing,  each  year,  should  be  marked  by  an  excur- 
sion, or  some  feature  especially  attractive  to  look  forward  to. 

The  Honor  Roll  is  a  material  help  with  Bible  classes, 
as  well  as  with  the  younger  classes;  and  notices,  reports 
and  class  letters  are  appreciated  by  adult  members  also. 

ADULT     BIBLE   CLASS, 
MARKET    SQUARE   PRESBYTERIAN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 


Market    Square   Progressive   Association. 

Germantown,  March  3,  1902. 
To   the   Members   of   the   Adult   Bible   Class: 

Dear    Friends:      Please   consider  the   following: 
I  St.        Roll   of  Honor,    Sunday   School   Times. 

Our    attendance    during    Dec,    Jan.    and    Feb.,    1901-02    was.  .      1,675 
During   the    same   months,    1900-01 1,470 


Increase    205 

or  nearly  14  per  cent.       This  in  spite  of  three  very  stormy  Sundays. 
With    a    continuance    of    the    interest    excited    by    the    desire    for   a 
place    on   the    Honor    Roll,    we    should   steadily   increase    our   attend- 
ance, adding  new  scholars  to  our  class  roll. 

tVill  you  come  and  bring  your  friends? 
2d.        Our  Monthly  Meetings. 

These  are  always  interesting,  as  well  as  largely  attended. 
The   meeting  in   March   will   continue   from   Monday,    17th   instant, 
to    include    Friday    of    that    week,    at    8    p.m.,    in    the    chapel. 

The  services  will  be  strictly  religious,  of  an  evangelistic  character. 
It  is  believed  that  many  of  our  scholars  are  seriously  considering 
the  question  of  confessing   Christ  and   uniting  with   His   Church. 

Will  you,  by  your  attendance  and  by  your  prayers,  help  to  deepen 
these    impressions,    so   that   they   may   result   in   action? 

Do  not  make  any  engagements  for  the  dates  named,  but  attend  all 
these    meetings. 
3d.        The  I 8th  Anniversary  of  the  Organization  of  the  Class 
Will  be   celebrated   at  9.15   a.m.   on    Sunday,   March    30. 

This  occasion  has  heretofore  secured  a  larger  attendance  than  at 
any  other  of  our  meetings.  The  highest  figure  reached  since  last 
year    was    158. 

You  will  be  pleased  with  the  exercises,  and  we  shall  be  glad  if  the 
number  present  is  greater  than  heretofore. 
4th.      The  Class  Supper  on  April  17. 

Sth.      Mr.   Meehan's   Illustrated  Lecture  on   May   15,   and 
Last     The  Picnic  in  June,  previous  to  my  trip  to  Europe,  on  which  I  sail 
on    June    25. 
If  you   cannot   possibly   come   to   all   these    gatherings   of   our   class,   be 
sure  and  attend  every  Sunday  morning,  and  all  the  evening  meetings,  March 
17  to  21. 

Yours  truly,  Louis  Wagner,  Leader. 

P.   S. — Programme  of  March  meetings  enclosed. 

72 


BIBLE  CLASSES 

Ways  of  following  up  absentees.  Noticing  the  ab- 
sence of  the  members  of  the  Bible  class  is  just  as  im- 
portant as  noticing  the  absence  of  a  child  in  the  Pri- 
mary Department ;  and  the  methods  of  following  up  adults 
are  similar  to  those  in  use  in  other  departments 
of  the  school.  Where,  on  account  of  the  size  of  the 
class,  the  teacher  cannot  call  on  every  one,  the  work  may 
be  divided  among  a  committee  who  look  up  absentees  and 
see  that  the  newcomers  are  properly  welcomed.  Again, 
classes  are  divided  into  "'tens,"  with  a  leader  or  lay  pas- 
tor over  each  "ten,"  whose  duty  it  is  to  report  weekly  the 
cause  of  every  absence. 

Uncle  Sam,  too,  can  run  errands.  See  the  following 
card: 


Germantown, ipo 

My  Dear  Friend: 

We   have   missed  you  from    our   class   for    several 
Sundays  past.      What  is  the  matter? 
Tours  truly ^ 

Louis  Wagner^ 

Teacher  Adult  Class, 
Market  Square  Presbyterian  Church  Sunday-school. 
P.  S.— School  opens  at  g.15  o'clock  A  .M. 


The  social  meetings,  entertainments,  lectures,  etc.,  are 
important.  They  provide  restful  change  and  variety. 
Young  men  and  women  should  be  able  to  find  the  best  of 
everything  inside  church  limits,  and  appreciation  of  this 
fact  is  broadening  the  work  of  the  Church  and  the  Sun- 
day-school. In  organized  Bible  classes  a  social  or  enter- 
tainment committee  can  have  the  care  of  such  gatherings, 
the  teacher  and  pastor  acting  in  advisory  capacity. 

In  the  Market  Square  Progressive  Association  of  the 
Market  Square  Presbyterian  Church,  Germantown,  Pa., 
some  class  gathering  is  held  each  month.     The  following 

n 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

outline    illustrates    their    varied    and    interesting    pro- 
grammes : 


PRESERVE   FOR   REFERENCE 


MARKET  SQUARE   PROGRESSIVE  ASSOCIATION 
1902-1903 

Monthly  Meetings  in  the  Chapel  on  the  Third  Thursday,  at  8  p.m. 

igo2. 
Sept.    17.     "  Welcome  Home"  to  the  President  after  his  European  trip. 
Oct.      15.     7.30  P.M. — Annual    Meetinij.      Reports   of   Officers  and  Com- 
mittees.    Election  of  Officers. 
8  p.m. — Address   by    General  Wagner.      Subject:    "Some   of 
the  things  we  saw  in  Europe." 
Nov.    19.     Cantata:  "  David,  the  Shepherd-boy." 
Dec.     17.     Reception  of  the  Class  at  the  residence  of  the  teacher. 

1903- 

Jan.     21.     Musical  and  Literary  Entertainment. 

Feb.  18.  Debate.  Subject :  Should,  or  Should  not,  the  National  Gov- 
ernment own  and  operate  the  Railroad  and  Telegraph  Lines 
of  this  Country  .' 

Mar.    18.     Annual  Class  Supper. 

Mar.    28.     Sunday,  9.15  a.m. — Thirteenth  Anniversary  of  the  Class. 

April   15.     Address  by  Hampton  L.  Carson,  Esq. 

May    20.     Musical  and  Literary  Entertainment.      '  Class  talent  only," 

June    26.     Saturday.     Annual  Picnic. 

There  is  no  charge  for  admission  to  any  of  the  entertainments,  except 
to  the  Cantata,  for  which  tickets  will  cost  twenty-five  cents  each,  and  to  the 
supper,  for  which  a  limited  number  of  tickets  will  be  sold  at  fifty  cents  each. 

Come,  and  bring  all  your  friends  with  you 


One  annual  supper  was  ''Governors'  Day,"  when  four 
men  who  had  filled  the  Governor's  chair  were  present  as 
guests  and  speakers;  another  was  "Adult  Bible  Class 
Day,"  and  men  prominent  as  Bible  class  workers  were  the 
guests. 

Organizing  a  Bible  class,  with  the  members  of  the 
class  filling  the  offices  and  bearing  a  share  of  the  work 
and  responsibility,  is  proving  both  helpful  and  practicable. 
The  usual  officers  are  president,  vice-president,  secretary 
and  treasurer,  with  the  teacher  ex  officio,  a  member  of 
the  executive,  to  which  two  or  more  members  of 
the  class  are  sometimes  added.  In  such  an  or- 
ganization the  officers  and  committees  take  full  responsi- 
bility for  the  business  of  the  class,  the-  teacher 
acting  only  as  adviser  and   Bible  instructor.       Smaller 

74 


BIBLE  CLASSES 

classes,  too,  are  thus  organized  and  officered,  and  report 
that  their  work  is  more  effective  because  of  divided  labor, 
honor  and  responsibility. 

Of  course,  classes  should  be  suited  to  ages  and  condi- 
tions. In  Trinity  Sunday-school,  Denver,  Col.,  there  are 
three  large  classes  of  middle  and  aged  people,  and  three 
large  classes  of  young  married  and  middle-aged  people. 

IL  Young  Men's  Bible  Classes.  The  problem  of 
holding  young  men  and  young  women  in  the  Bible-school 
is  one  of  the  most  serious,  and  one  before  which  many 
school  workers  give  way  in  despair,  with  the  result  of 
loss  to  the  church  of  numbers  of  our  noblest  men  and 
women.  But  the  task  of  holding  them  is  by  no  means 
a  hopeless  one.  Perhaps  no  one  has  come  nearer  to  the 
solution  of  the  problem  than  Rev.  William  Denman,  D.D., 
superintendent  of  the  Olivet  Memorial  Sunday-school, 
New  York,  who  says  that  the  solution  of  the  problem  of 
holding  boys  over  sixteen  to  the  school,  so  far  as  his 
school  has  succeeded  in  solving  it,  is  by  showing  the  boys 
that  they  are  wanted  in  the  school,  by  treating  them,  not 
as  mere  acquaintances,  but  as  friends ;  by  occasionally  pro- 
viding social  evenings  for  them ;  and  especially  by  get- 
ting them  to  work  (in  the  young  people's  organizations). 
*Tf  they  invest  labor  in  the  institution,  they  are  likely  to 
stand  by  it."  This  school  also  has  a  good  gymnasium, 
with  a  capable  instructor,  a  club-room  *'as  attractively 
furnished  as  those  of  the  best  or  worst  places  that  cater 
to  young  men." 

Three  principles  underlie  this  work:  (i)  Fraternity, 
making  the  young  man,  not  nominally,  but  really,  a 
friend;  (2)  ministration,  rendering  real  service  to  him, 
meeting  some  of  his  social  and  physical,  as  well  as  spir- 
itual, needs;  (3)  enlistment,  m.agnifying  to  all  the  im- 
portance of  the  individual  scholar's  presence  and  work. 
For  the  latter  reason  the  organizing  and  officering  of  a 

75 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Bible  class  and  dividing  work  among  the  members  is  im- 
portant. 

The  leadership  of  the  class  in  the  study  of  the  lesson 
is  not  always  in  the  hands  of  the  teacher.  In  the  Colling- 
wood  Avenue  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Toledo,  Ohio, 
the  members  lead,  the  teachers  selecting  the  leader  two 
weeks  in  advance.  In  the  Young  Men's  Baraca  Class  in 
the  Baptist  Temple,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  a  five-minute  ad- 
dress by  a  member  of  the  class  precedes  the  lesson  each 
Sunday. 

A  new  organization  for  enlisting  young  men  in  Bible 
study  is  the  Baraca  Bible  Class,  now  known  all  over  the 
States  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The  first  class 
was  organized  by  Mr.  M.  A.  Hudson  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
Now,  the  ''Baraca"  silver  pin  is  worn  by  thousands  of 
young  men,  representing  hundreds  of  Bible  classes.  The 
platform  of  the  Baraca  movement  is : 

Young  men  at  work  for  young  men,  all  standing  by  the 
Bible  and  Bible  School. 

The  committees  share  the  work  as  follows :  The  ''Hus- 
tlers" are  on  the  lookout  at  every  Sunday  church  service 
for  strangers  to  invite  them  to  the  sessions  of  the  class ; 
and  during  the  week  visit  and  invite  all  men  who  do  not 
go  to  Sunday-school,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  interest  all 
men  in  the  Baraca.  The  Social  Committee  see  that 
every  new  member  and  all  visitors  on  Sunday  are  intro- 
duced to  all  present,  and  do  all  in  their  power  to  create 
a  social  spirit  among  the  members,  either  by  socials  or 
entertainments,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Executive 
Committee.  The  Membership  Committee  take  the  names 
of  all  absent  members  and  visitors  and  visit  them  during 
the  week,  and  try  to  interest  them  so  that  they  will  be- 
come regular  attendants.      The  Music  Committee  take 

76 


BIBLE  CLASSES 

entire  charge  of  all  music,  and  form  an  orchestra  or  pro- 
vide such  music  as  they  choose,  subject  to  the  approval 
of  the  Executive  Committee.  The  Literary  Committee 
have  charge  of  all  literary  work  of  the  class,  all  debates 
and  lecture  courses.  The  Athletic  Committee  may  form 
under  direction  of  the  Executive  Committee  a  base- 
ball, basket-ball  or  bicycle  club,  or  hold  a  Baraca  field  day 
for  all  athletic  work  of  the  class.  The  reporter,  a  class 
officer  new  to  the  hearing  of  many,  has  charge  of  the  class 
subscription  list  of  the  Baraca  paper,  and  reports  to  the 
paper  and  to  the  city  press  all  matters  of  interest  each 
week. 

Personal  work  is  secured  in  the  Baraca  classes  through 
the  Secret  Service  Pledge,  as  well  as  through  the  various 
committees. 


MY  SECRET  SERVICE. 
Matt.  6  :  6.     John  14  :  13,  14. 

1.  I  pledge  to  pray  for  the  unconverted  Baracas  every  day  at  noon, 
or  as  soon  thereafter  as  I  remember  this  pledge. 

2.  I  pledge  to  make  a  list  of  those  to  whom  I  vi^ill  speak,  and  to  work 
and  pray  for  them. 

3.  I  will  meet  the  secret  service  members  once  a  month   and  pray 

aloud  with  them,  and  do  all  in  my  power  to  help  them  bring Baracas 

to  Christ  within  the  next  six  months. 

Signed, 

Dated. 


Information  and  leaflets  relative  to  the  workings  of  the 
Baraca  Bible  classes  can  be  obtained  from  Mr.  M.  A. 
Hudson,  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

In  the  Young  Men's  Bible  Class  of  the  Merrimac  Street 
Baptist  Sunday-school,  Manchester,  N.  H.,  the  work  is 
divided  among  committees  as  follows :  The  Devotional 
Committee  care  for  the  devotional  interests  of  the  mem- 
bers, and  encourage  those  not  yet  Christians  to  take  a 
firm  stand  for  Christ ;  the  Membership  Committee  seek  to 
increase  membership  by  inviting  young  men  of  the  con- 

77 


MODERN    METHODS    IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

gregation  or  elsewhere,  not  belonging  to  any  school  or 
class,  to  unite  with  the  class ;  the  Absentee  and  Sick  Com- 
mittee encourage  the  absent  members  to  be  punctual  in 
their  attendance,  visit  the  sick  and  aid  them  when  pos- 
sible ;  the  Social  Committee  look  after  the  social  interests 
of  the  class  by  giving  an  occasional  social  or  entertain- 
ment, by  introducing  new  members  to  the  class,  and  mak- 
ing all  welcome. 

In  the  Ailing  Class,  Central  Presbyterian  Church, 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  the  Attendance  Committee  has  the  care 
of  absentees  and  new  members,  looking  over  the  records 
weekly.  Where  the  card  of  a  visitor  is  recorded,  with 
the  intimation  that  he  does  not  belong  elsewhere,  a  special 
invitation  card  is  sent  to  him  signed  by  the  president  and 
the  teacher,  expressing  their  desire  to  be  of  service  to 
him  and  to  have  him  join  the  class. 

To  increase  membership  and  awaken  enthusiasm,  the 
Bible  class  of  the  Third  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  has  used  the  plan  mentioned  in  Chapter  XL,  on 
New  Scholars,  of  having  a  contest  between  two  divisions, 
the  one  division  being  Calebites,  the  other  Joshuites. 

A  Bible  study  exhibit,  comprising  printed  matter,  names 
of  class  members,  records,  outlines  of  courses,  group- 
ings of  facts,  written  work,  or  examinations  of  students 
in  the  work  of  the  previous  year,  photographs,  etc.,  also 
promotes  class  spirit. 

A  number  of  classes  have  pretty  class  pins,  with  the 
name  of  the  class  upon  each,  that  can  be  variously  worn ; 
and  others  have  an  appropriate  button  for  the  lapel  of  the 
coat.     All  this  gives  esprit  de  corps. 

Naturally,  the  methods  which  are  used  in  other  de- 
partments of  the  school  for  the  awakening  of  the  interest 
of  the  pupils,  such  as  star  charts,  awards  for  attendance, 
etc.,  are  of  service  in  Bible  classes. 

One  will  find  stimulus  and  fresh  suggestion  in  work  for 

78 


BIBLE  CLASSES 

boys  and  men  through  reading  The  Boy  Problem,'^  by 
Forbush ;  Young  Men  and  Church-Going,'^  by  Clokey, 
Gladden  and  Harrington ;  and  the  very  recent  work,  The 
Church  and  Young  Men,^  by  Rev.  F.  G.  Cressey. 

III.  Methods  that  apply  to  other  adult  classes  apply 
similarly  to  classes  for  young  women.  Such  classes  are 
growing  in  numbers  and  in  membership,  and  this  work  has 
recently  received  new  impulses,  one  of  which  is  a  Bible 
class  for  young  women  similar  to  the  young  men's 
Baraca,  organized  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  in  1898,  with  the 
name  of  'Thilathea  Class."  This  interdenominational 
movement  has  spread  over  the  entire  United  States  and 
Canada,  and  the  number  of  classes  is  constantly  increas- 
ing. The  object  of  this  class  is  *'to  stimulate  among 
young  women  the  desire  for  true  Christian  knowledge, 
and  to  provide  means  by  which  this  may  be  obtained,  to 
create  an  interest  in  and  to  support  the  Sunday  Bible- 
school,  and  to  unite  its  membership  in  practical  Christian 
sympathy  and  service."  The  president  presides  at  all 
meetings.  The  reporter  reports  to  the  city  press  all  mat- 
ters of  interest,  and  corresponds  with  all  other  classes. 
The  secretary  takes  the  cards  signed  each  Sunday  and 
enters  them  in  the  class  ledger,  marking  each  one;  gives 
the  name  of  each  new  member  and  visitor  to  the  teacher, 
who  causes  a  letter  of  welcome  to  be  written  to  each ;  and 
notifies  the  Volunteer  Committee  of  the  absence  for  three 
consecutive  Sundays  (without  excuse)  of  any  member. 
The  other  officers  perform  such  duties  as  usually  fall  to 
their  offices. 

The  three  standing  committees,  Volunteer,  Social  and 
Missionary,  consist  of  three  or  more  persons,  and  are  ap- 

*  The  Pilgrim  Press,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 

^  Young  Men's  Era  Publishing  Company,  publishers,  Chi- 
cago, 111. 

*  Address  the  author,  care  Chicago  University,  Chicago,  111. 

79 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

pointed  by  the  Executive  Committee.  The  Vokmteers 
are  on  the  lookout  at  every  church  service  for  strangers, 
to  invite  them  to  the  sessions  of  the  class.  They  take  the 
names  of  all  absent  members  and  visitors,  and  visit  them 
during  the  week  and  try  to  interest  them  so  that  they  will 
become  regular  attendants.  The  Social  Committee  see 
that  every  new  member  and  all  visitors  on  Sunday  are  in- 
troduced to  all  present,  and  do  all  in  their  power  to  cre- 
ate a  social  spirit  among  the  members.  The  Missionary 
Committee  assist  the  pastor  or  the  Sunday-school  mis- 
sionary in  her  work  among  the  poor  and  sick. 

The  class  meets  regularly  every  Sunday  with,  and  as  a 
part  of,  the  Sunday-school.  A  business  meeting  is  called 
by  the  president  at  least  once  every  other  month,  for  the 
purpose  of  hearing  reports  of  committees  and  officers  and 
the  transaction  of  business. 

This  class,  like  the  Baraca  for  young  men,  has 
the  Secret  Service  Pledge.  For  information  rela- 
tive to  the  workings  of  the  Philathea  Class  one  may  ad- 
dress the  National  Secretary,  Miss  May  Hudson,  200 
Comstock  Avenue,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  or  the  National  Presi- 
dent of  the  Philathea  Union,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  F.  Coney- 
bear,  53  Walnut  Street,  Auburn,  N.  Y. 

Remark.  The  best  courses  of  study  and  methods  of  work 
for  a  Bible  class  must  be  decided  by  each  school  accord- 
ing to  its  peculiar  needs,  abilities  and  opportunities.  One 
thing  must  always  be  helpful :  the  meeting  of  teachers, 
officers  and  members  in  conference  for  the  work  and  in 
good  fellowship.  Such  meetings  quicken  and  deepen  the 
personal  relation  and  feeling  of  union,  strengthen  class 
plans,  and  lead  to  broader,  deeper  and  more  thorough 
work.  All  of  which  contributes  to  the  class  feeling  that 
it  is  not  a  one-man's  class,  nor  the  property  alone  of  the 
teacher,  but  that  each  person  has  a  responsible  part.  Class 
spirit  and  class  enthusiasm  are  thus  fostered,  and  the  work 
gains  strength  and  momentum  all  along  the  line. 

80 


CHAPTER  VI 

SYSTEMS    OF    MARKING    AND    OF    PROMOTION,    GRADUATING 
EXERCISES,   CERTIFICATES  AND  DIPLOMAS 

I.  Systems  of  Marking.  A  problem  of  the  graded 
schools  has  been  in  finding  a  satisfactory  system  of  mark- 
ing. Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  is  the  rock  on  which 
many  a  worthy  effort  has  gone  to  pieces.  The  subject 
compels  our  thoughtful  study.  The  system  of  marking 
explained  by  a  card  or  leaflet  should  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  teachers  and  pupils. 


ROLL  OF  HONOR. 

The  Roll  of  Honor  shall  consist  of  the  names  of  all  scholars  whose 
quarterly  average  percentage  is  80  or  better. 

The  names  of  all  scholars  whose  quarterly  average  percentage  is  100  will 
be  indicated  on  the  Roll  of  Honor  by  a  GOLD  STAR. 
BANNER  CLASSES. 
Banner  Classes  shall  be  those  classes  whose  quarterly  average  per- 
centage is  80  or  better. 

Banner  classes  whose  quarterly  average  percentage  is  100  will  be  in- 
dicated by  a  gold  tassel  attached  to  banner. 
ABSENTEES 
Any  scholars  who  are  unavoidably  absent  and  will  send  a  note  to  their 
teacher  to  that  effect  and  include  with  note  their  contribution,  will  be 
marked  as  present  and  entitled  to  a  percentage  of  80.  In  this  way  they 
will  aid  in  sustaining  the  individual  and  class  record. 

marking. 

Percentages  shall  be  arrived  at  as  follows  : 

Present,  ........         75 

Present  with  contribution,  .....  go 

Absent— explanatory  note  with  contribution  sent  to  teacher        .        80 

Quarterly  Examination : 

(Each  question  answered  correctly  entitles  scholar  to  five  (5)  per  cent.) 
Twenty  (20)  questions  answered  correctly,  .  .  .       100 

Sixteen  (16)  questions  answered  correctly,  ...  80 

Scholars  whose  quarterly  record  stands  go  and  100,  respectively,  shall 

be  entitled  to  100  and  have  honorable  mention.     Classes  accordingly. 

WESTMINSTER  PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 


81 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

In  the  Plymouth  Congregational  Sunday-school,  To- 
ledo, Ohio,  a  record  is  kept  of  all  members  of  the  school, 
including  officers  and  teachers. 


EXPLANATION    OF   RECORD   SYSTEM 

Teacher  will  mark  the  percentage  of  each  member  present  in  the 
square  for  that  date  and  replace  card  in  envelope.  If  any  member  is 
absent,  leave  card  for  such  member  OUTSIDE  of  envelope,  and  Secretary 
will  place  same  in  envelope  after  punching. 

An  Average  of  95  Per  Cent,  for  the  Year  is  Required  for 
Perfect  Record. 

Marking  for  Junior  and  Senior  Department 

Attendance  at  Sunday-school, 60 

Study  Slip  Answered, 15 

Bible  Brought, 10 

Church  Attendance  since  last  session  of  school,       .  10 

Collection, 5 

Total, 100 

Marking  for  Intermediate  Department 

Attendance  at  Sunday-school, 60 

Study  Slip  Answered, 15 

Bible  Brought 10 

Golden  Text  Learned,        ......  10 

Collection, 5 

Total, 100 

Marking  in  Juvenile  Department 

Attendance  at  Sunday-school, ys 

Bible  Brought, lo 

Golden  Text  Learned, 10 

Collection, S 

Total, 100 

Absence  on  account  of  sickness  is  excusable.  If  a  member  is  out  of 
the  city,  the  requirements  of  his  department  must  be  met  by  attending 
Sunday-school,  etc.,  wherever  he  may  be.  In  either  case  absence  must 
be  reported  to  the  Secretary,  in  order  that  he  may  correct  the  record. 


As  soon  as  possible  after  the  close  of  the  school  year  the 
annual  evening  meeting  of  the  school  is  held,  at  which  a 
special  programme  is  given,  and  ''Robert  Raikes"  diplo- 
mas,^ or  seals,  are  presented  to  those  who  have  attained 
a  perfect  record,  95%,  for  the  year. 

In  the  James  Lees  Memorial  Sunday-school,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  a  perfect  class  is  a  class  in  which  every  pupil 
is  present  every  Sunday  in  the  month,  has  studied  the 
lesson,  has  attended  church  at  least  once  on  the  previous 

^  For  sale  by  the  Sunday-school  Supply  Company,  Toledo, 
Ohio,  and  by  similar  publishing  houses. 

S2 


SYSTEMS  OF  MARKING  AND  OF  PROMOTION 


Sunday,  and  has  brought  to  the  school  a  Bible  and  a 
contribution.  Attendance  is  marked  50 ;  on  time,  10 ;  les- 
son studied,  10;  church  attendance,  10;  Bible  in  class,  10; 
a  contribution,  10.  When  all  of  these  conditions  are  met 
on  any  Sunday  the  pupil  is  marked  100,  or  perfect. 

83 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

In  the  Willoughby  Avenue  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  green  wafers  are  pasted  on  the 
honor  roll  for  each  scholar  who  has  prepared  his  lesson 
each  Sunday  before  coming  to  the  class.  This  school 
has  no  marking  or  percentage  system.  The  scholar's 
word  is  taken,  subject  to  the  teacher's  verification  by 
questioning  on  the  lesson,  and  the  names  of  those  who 
have  prepared  the  lesson  are  sent  in  to  the  secretary  by 
the  teacher.  In  the  younger  classes  a  previous  reading 
of  the  lesson  and  a  fair  understanding  of  its  substance  are 
sufficient  "preparation." 

The  Park  Church  School,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  has  the  fol- 
following  scheme: 

STANDARD  OF  RECITATION. 

A  Perfect  Lesson  consists  of  the  appointed  Scripture,  also 
one  verse  of  the  hymn,  repeated  slowly,  without  hesitation,  repeti- 
tion of  words,  or  assistance  from  another.  Its  mark  cannot  be 
received  by  an  absent  member,  nor,  if  lost,  can  it  be  restored.  It 
also  requires  the  reading  of  the  week-day  Scriptures  according 
to  their  dates. 

A  Satisfactory  Lesson  consists  of  the  same  Scripture  and 
hymn,  also  repeated  without  assistance,  and  with  but  slight  hesi- 
tation or  repetition,  and  may  admit  of  mistakes  corrected  imme- 
diately. It  requires  the  week-day  readings  also,  though  not 
according  to  date,  and  its  mark,  if  lost,  may  be  restored  by  a 
recitation  at  any  time  out  of  the  Sunday-school  hour. 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  OF  PARK  CHURCH 
IN  ELMIRA,  N.  Y. 

Certifies  that 

has  recited  the  lessons  of  four  years  perfectly ;  and  by 
punctuality  and  gifts,  lessons  and  conduct^  has  become  a 
help  and  an  honor  to  the  School. 

Superintendent. 

Teacher. 

Elmira,  N.  V. 


^  This  is  the  wording  of  a  beautiful  certificate  in  colored  inks. 

84 


SYSTEMS  OF  MARKING  AND  OF  PROMOTION 
HOW  TO  /VVA-RK  THE  -ROLL. 


J.  Safi^actory  on  all  points, 
2.  Late,  other  points  satisfy 


3.  Gift  forgotten.otherpoints 
satisfactory 


4.  Lesson    imperfect,    other 
■5fa( 


(See  Standard.) 


Restored  by  four  satisfactory 
Sundays  


points  satisfactory. 


5.  Inattentive,  other  points 
satisfactory 


G.  Late,  no  lesson,  no  gift, 
inattentive 


7.  Absent:  note  sent  with 
good  reason  of  absence; 
contribution,  and  word  of 
lessons  recited  at  home. 

8.  The  perfect  lesson,  (an 
extra  mark.) 


9.  Morning  attendance. 


Restored    by    bringing    the 
contribution 


Restored  by  reciting  the  les- 
son out  of  school  hours. . . . 


Restored  by  four  satisfactory 
Sundays.. .,,... 


/ 


/ 


\ 


\ 


(Counted  same  «^s  satisfactory 
(See  Standard.) 


Stands  for— 


or  "satisfactory.' 


The  following  explains  and  illustrates  the  method  of 
marking  in  a  successful  Sunday-school  in  New  York 
City: 

85 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


C/ass  No. 


FOURTH  QUARTER,  190  . 
Teacher 

OLIVET  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Second  Street,  bet.  First  and  Second  Aves. 


Directions  for   Use. 

A  Perfect  Recitation,,  which  shall  entitle  the  scholar  to  the  Reward 
Ticket  issued  by  the  school,  shall  comprise,  committing  to  memory  the 
Selected  Verses,    \ 

Golden  Text,        >  of  the  Lesson  of  the  day. 
Title  and  Topic,  | 

Good  Deportment  shall  be  indicated  by  absolute  silence  and  proper 
attention  during  prayer,  reading  of  the  Scriptures  and  notices,  and  during 
remarks  by  the  superintendent  or  others  from  the  platform.  Also,  by 
careful  and  respectful  attention  to  the  teacher,  as  well  as  by  perfect 
obedience  during  the  hours  of  service. 

Bad  Deportment  shall  be  indicated  by  a  scholar  continuing  in  any- 
thing which  the  teacher  considers  to  be  disturbing  to  the  class,  after  that 
scholar  has  been  requested  by  the  teacher  to  desist. 

Rules  for   Marking  Class  Records. 

For  Attendance,  no  mark. 

For  Absence,  the  letter  A  or  S  in  the  centre  of  the  square  on  the  line 
of  the  name.  A  implies  simply  absence :  S  indicates  absence  caused  by 
sickness.     L  indicates  arrival  after  session  has  begun. 

For  Perfect  Recitation  of  a  Lesson,  entitling  the  scholar  to  the  Perfect 
Lesson  Ticket,  a  round  full  dot  on  the  left-hand  upper  corner  of  the  square. 

For  a  Good  General  Knowledge  of  a  Lesson,  when  the  scholar  should 
not  receive  the  Ticket,  a  cross  thus  (X)  in  the  same  corner,  which  will 
serve  as  a  recognition  of  partial  merit. 

For  Imperfect  Lessons,  or  failure  to  learn  them,  no  mark. 

For  Good  Deportment,  no  mark  ;  For  Bad  Deportment,  a  heavy  line 
drawn  from  the  right-hand  upper  corner  of  the  square  to  the  left-hand 
lower  corner. 

The  Amount  of  Contribution,  for  the  Missionary  cause,  to  be  marked 
in  the  right-hand  lower  corner  of  the  square ;  and  if  no  contribution  be 
made,  let  the  fact  be  indicated  by  a  blank.     Each  perfect  lesson  ticket 
contributed  to  the  Missionary  cause  is  to  be  counted  as  one  cent. 
This  Diagram  Illustrates  the  Mode  of  Marking  the  Class  Record. 


Henry  More, 


John  Smith. 


John  Jones. 


William  Smith. 


James  Brown, 


Isaao  Bobinson. 


Oeorge  Williams, 


Robert  Owens, 


John  Johnson. 


Frank  Brown, 


Perfect  Lesson, 
Good  Deportment, 
Contribution, 


Perfect  Lesson, 
Good  Deportment, 
No  Contribution, 


Perfect  Letson, 
Bad  Deportment, 
Contribution, 


Perfect  Lesson, 
Bad  Deportment, 
No  Contribution, 


Good  General  Knowledge  of  Lesson, 
Good  Deportment, 
No  Contribution, 


No  Lesson, 

Bad  Deportment, 

No  Contribution, 


No  Lesson, 

Good  Deportment, 

No  Contribution, 


Absent  because  of  i 


Late  in  attendance, 


/ 


/ 


t^F"  As  the  Honor  Roll  and  Rewards  given  in  the  School  for  perfect  attendance,  deport- 
ment and  recitations  are  liased  upon  the  showing  of  the  Class  Records,  justice  to  the  scholar 
demands  a  careful  observance  by  the  teacher  of  the  rules  for  marking,  adopted  by  the  vote  of 
the  teachers.     Additional  copies  of  the  marking  system  can  be  obtained  from  the  secretary. 
Superintendmt. 


86 


SYSTEMS  OF  MARKING  AND  OF  PROMOTION 

In  the  Central  Christian  Church,  Lexington,  Ky.,  every 
pupil  is  carefully  marked  each  Sunday  with  reference  to 
four  points  of  excellence,  as  follows  :  ( i )  Being  on  time, 
(2)  bringing  a  contribution,  (3)  having  been  present  at 
church  on  the  preceding  Sunday,  and  (4)  having  a  well- 
prepared  lesson.  Any  pupil  who  does  not  fail  in  any 
point  for  three  months  receives  a  certificate  of  honor,  and 
any  one  who  succeeds  in  three-fourths  of  all  points  for  the 
same  time  receives  honorable  mention.  The  plan  may  be 
changed  to  include  only  the  one  class  receiving  honorable 
mention  monthly,  and  a  certificate  quarterly,  namely, 
those  obtaining  three-fourths  of  all  points.  The  plan  has 
worked  well;  but  the  pastor  of  this  school,  Rev.  1.  J. 
Spencer,  aptly  remarks,  ''Almost  all  plans  must  be  changed 
to  meet  changing  conditions  and  supply  the  stim- 
ulus of  novelty."  The  teachers,  too,  share  in  the  honora- 
ble mention  if  they  attend  teachers'  meetings  regularly, 
are  on  time  Sunday,  and  faithfully  shepherd  their  pupils. 

The  Intermediate  Department  of  the  Second  Baptist 
Sunday-school,  Holyoke,  Mass.,  has  a  system  of  marking 
similar  to  the  one  in  use  in  the  public  schools  of  Holyoke. 
For  instance,  if  a  scholar,  before  coming  to  the  school, 
has  read  over  the  lesson  for  the  day,  and  has  selected  from 
the  reading  one  verse  which  most  appeals  to  him,  and  has 
committed  this  verse  to  memory  so  that  he  can  recite  the 
same  to  his  teacher  in  class,  he  is  given  an  "A."  If  a 
scholar  has  read  over  the  lesson  before  coming  to  school, 
but  has  committed  no  verse  to  memory,  he  is  given  a  "B" ; 
and  a  scholar  who  simply  brings  his  Bible,  not  having 
read  his  lesson  previous  to  coming  to  school,  is  given  a 
•'C."  These  letters  represent  to  the  superintendent  of  the 
Intermediate  Department  stated  values  on  the  basis  of 
100,  and  at  the  end  of  the  quarter  the  averages  of  each 
scholar  are  made  up.  Rewards  of  merit  are  given  to  the 
scholars  having  the  highest  percentages. 

87 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

2.  Graduating  Exercises,  Promotion  and  Commence- 
ment Exercises  are  carefully  observed  by  most  graded 
schools.      At  the  "Commencement  Exercises"  of  Trinity 


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School,  Newport,  R.  L,  essays  are  prepared  and  read  by 
those  who  have  attained  the  highest  standing,  on  such 
subjects  as  "The  Incarnation,"  "Jesus  and  the  Twelve," 

88 


SYSTEMS  OF  MARKING  AND  OF  PROMOTION 

"The  Life  of  St.  Paul,"  "St.  Paul's  Mission,"  etc.      At 
these  exercises  beautiful  diplomas  are  awarded. 

Each  department  of  the  First  Baptist  Bible-school, 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  learns  some  Scripture  during  the  year 
(changed  each  year)  to  recite  at  the  graduating  exercises. 
Last  year  the  programme  was : 

Senior.  Isaiah  53 ;  Psalm  2 ;  Books  of  the  Old  and  New 

Testaments,    with   divisions. 
Intermediate.      Psalm  46. 

Junior  Psalm  34:  i-io;  i  Cor.  13;  Matt.  10:  28-32. 

Kindergarten.     Psalm  23;  Apostles'  names  rhyme. 

The  graduating  pupils  in  this  school  are  sent  on  into 
the  Bible,  or  Graduate,  Department  to  continue  the  work 
in  a  more  formal  manner. 

In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
written  examinations  are  held  at  the  close  of  each  quarter, 
and  all  who  reach  a  certain  percentage  receive  "honorable 
mention,"  and  after  four  consecutive  quarters  a  diploma. 

In  these  graded  schools  a  card  of  promotion  is  usually 
given  from  grade  to  grade,  and  from  department  to  de- 
partment. 


UNITED  CHURCH  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
NEW  HAVEN,  CONN. 

T/n's  is  to  certify  that 

has  completed  the  course  required  by  the  Junior  Depart- 
ment, and  is  hereby  promoted  to  the  I?itermediate 
Dcparttnent. 

Pastor Superintendent 

Dept.Supt. Teacher. 

New  HaTeris  Conn.^ 


In  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  promo- 
^  This  is  the  wording  of  an  attractive  certificate,  12x9  inches. 

89 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

tions  are  made  according  to  age,  but  to  those  wishing  to 
take  the  examination  the  diploma  is  given  as  a  reward 
of  merit, — with  seals  added  for  regular  attendance,  church 
attendance,  Golden  Texts,  and  extra  memorizing.  The 
diploma  in  the  Intermediate  Department  of  this  school 
takes  the  place  of  the  Honor  Roll. 


90 


CHAPTER  VII 

OPENING  AND  CLOSING  EXERCISES,  AND  ORDER  OF  SERVICES 

Education — it  is  pre-eminently  true  of  the  religious  side  of  education — 
can  never  be  purely  intellectual.  The  religious  feelings  need  cultivation 
and  education  as  truly  as  the  mind  requires  religious  instruction. 

Burton   and   Mathews. 

I.  Worship  and  education  of  the  religious  feelings  are 
the  principles  underlying  this  part  of  our  Sunday-school 
work. 

Shall,  then,  our  opening  exercises  be  a  burden  or  an 
inspiration  ?  The  closing  of  our  schools  a  dispelling  or  a 
sealing  of  the  hour's  instruction  and  impression  ?  Do  we 
realize  how  a  school  is  helped  or  hindered  by  the  right 
and  wrong  uses  of  the  precious  minutes  appropriated  in 
these  exercises?  Whether  the  opening  exercise  is  longer 
or  shorter,  five  minutes  or  twenty,  it  is  an  opportunity, 
and  can  be  made,  as  the  Second  Presbyterian  School  of 
Dubuque,  Iowa,  tries  to  make  it,  "the  keynote  to 
the  whole  service."  So,  too,  with  the  closing  exercise — 
it  is  an  opportunity  of  clinching  the  lesson,  of  deepening 
the  impression,  and  of  sending  scholars  away  conscious  of 
a  real  and  joyous  help.  Yet  how  many  opening  and  clos- 
ing exercises  are  flitted  away,  worse  than  wasted,  through 
want  of  plan  and  conscientious  use  of  time.  A  delay  of 
two  minutes  in  opening  the  school,  or  in  'looking  up" 
hymns,  or  in  knowing  what  to  do  *'next,"  in  a  school  of 
but  a  hundred  scholars  means  a  loss  of  three  hours  and 
twenty  minutes  in  the  work  of  the  Kingdom!  Will  a 
man  rob  God? 

Our  purpose  is  not  only  to  use  the  invaluable  time  allot- 

91 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ted  to  such  exercises,  but  also  to  use  that  time  in  the  best 
possible  way.  The  ways,  therefore,  which  have  been 
reached  through  years  of  earnest  work  by  some  of  our 
most  devoted  schools  must  prove  suggestive  to  others. 

11.  There  are  various  helpful  plans  for  opening  and 
closing  exercises. 

1.  A  rule  of  the  most  successful  schools  appears  to  be 
that  expressed  by  Trinity  Presbyterian  School,  San  Fran- 
cisco, ''to  vary  the  opening  and  closing  exercises,  and 
never  allow  them  to  become  dull  and  stereotyped."  In 
the  Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (South),  Gal- 
veston, Tex.,  the  opening  and  closing  exercises  are  varied 
so  that  the  children  do  not  know  what  is  coming  next. 

The  Congregational  School  of  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  gives 
as  much  variety  as  possible  to  the  opening  and 
closing  exercises  in  the  Senior  Department,  calling  upon 
different  members  of  the  school  to  take  part,  believing  that 
a  good  way  to  keep  the  interest  of  the  scholars  is  to  enlist 
their  services.  This  school  has  constantly  before  the  eyes 
of  its  members  the  motto,  "Work  to  Win." 

In  other  schools  a  new  programme  is  used  every  Sun- 
day for  the  sake  of  variety;  others  use  the  same  pro- 
gramme for  a  month  or  for  a  quarter,  believing  that  in 
so  doing  certain  passages  of  Scripture  are  fixed  in  the 
minds  of  the  schools. 

2.  Programmes: 

There  is  an  increasing  use  of  printed  programmes,  that 
attention  may  not  be  lost  through  any  hesitation  or  pause. 

In  the  Park  Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  the  entire  opening 
and  closing  exercises  are  from  memory,  the  school  reciting 
in  concert  part  of  the  liturgy. 

Where  the  printed  programme  is  not  used,  the  superin- 
tendent takes  the  responsibility  of  the  opening  and  closing 
exercises,  varying  them  at  his  discretion.  Even  small 
variations  are  helpful.      When  the   Scripture  lesson  is 

92 


OPENING  AND  CLOSING  EXERCISES 

read  alternately  by  the  superintendent  and  the  scholars, 
it  may  be  varied  by  having  one  class  read  alternately  with 
the  school.  The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  School,  De- 
catur, 111,,  has  "pause  readings,"  stopping  at  pauses  in- 
stead of  paragraphs  in  their  responsive  readings,  and 
with  the  result  of  the  co-operation  of  all  the  pupils.  The 
singing  may  be  varied  in  similar  ways,  the  boys  singing 
one  verse,  the  girls  the  next,  all  joining  in  the  chorus ;  or 
one  voice  leading  and  the  school  joining  in  the  chorus, 
etc.  It  is  especially  interesting  occasionally  to  have  the 
Primary  Department  sing  before  the  main  school  in  the 
opening  exercises. 

In  the  North  Baptist  Sunday-school  of  Camden,  N.  J., 
the  responsibility  for  the  Sunday  programme  is  left  to  a 
regularly  appointed  committee  on  programmes,  changed 
each  quarter.  The  superintendent  commenced  by  mak- 
ing the  entire  programme  himself.  Gradually  he  let  some 
one  else  share  the  work,  and  finally  he  placed  it  on  other 
shoulders  entirely. 

3.     Opening  Exercises: 

In  the  first  part  of  the  ordinary  opening  exercise  some 
schools,  as  in  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school 
of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  unite  through  the  "song  service." 
The  Primary  Department  is  then  cut  off  and  proceeds 
with  its  own  exercises,  while  the  Intermediate  and  Main 
Departments  continue  till  the  lesson  period,  when  the  In- 
termediate Department  is  cut  off  from  the  main  school. 
The  presence  of  the  Bible  classes  in  the  main  school,  if 
for  only  a  brief  part  of  the  opening  exercises,  is  encour- 
aging, though  not  always  common. 

In  addition  to  the  usual  opening  exercises  with  which 
we  are  familiar,  the  concert  recitation  of  Psalms  and  texts 
which  the  children  have  committed  to  memory  sometimes 
form  part  of  the  opening  exercises.  In  the  First  Con- 
gregational  Sunday-school,   Colorado   Springs,   Col.,  the 

93 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

superintendent  also  encourages  the  children  to  sing  selec- 
tions occasionally  without  books. 

The  time  for  drills  on  supplemental  work,  regarded  now 
as  essential  in  progressive  schools,  is  during  the  opening 
exercises. 

The  necessity  of  good  music  should  always  be  remem- 
bered. The  superintendent  of  the  First  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Decatur,  111.,  says :  *'Our  experience  is,  there  is 
no  difficulty  in  having  attention  where  there  is  good  sing- 
ing." 

In  the  Silliman  Memorial  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  singing  is  a  prominent  feature  in  all  exer- 
cises, the  belief  being  that  it  pays  to  have  good  music. 
This  school  holds  four  concerts  annually,  Easter,  Chil- 
dren's Day,  Rally  Day  and  Christmas,  in  preparation  for 
which  the  chorister  is  allowed  to  occupy  fifteen  minutes 
at  each  session  of  the  school  for  four  or  five  weeks  pre- 
vious to  the  concert.  This  time  is  taken  from  the  time 
usually  devoted  to  the  opening  exercises,  and  not  from 
the  time  devoted  to  the  teaching  of  the  lesson.  Let  su- 
perintendents mark  this  point !  This  school  sometimes 
chooses  new  music  and  sometimes  old,  but  in  either  case 
thorough  preparation  is  made,  as  they  believe  that  what 
is  worth  doing  at  all  is  worth  doing  well. 

In  the  Flatbush  Congregational  Sunday-school,  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  where  the  Hosanna  Hymn  Book  is  used,  a 
selection  is  made  from  hymns  used  for  special  services  and 
put  into  a  supplement,  which  is  an  appendix  to  the  hymn 
book,  for  use  when  so  desired. 

School  orchestras  or  boys'  choirs,  or  choirs  whose 
members  are  selected  from  the  school,  are  strong  aids.  In 
the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  vari- 
ous instruments  are  used  with  the  piano,  and  the  choir  is 
secured  by  the  leader  of  the  music  inviting  different  classes 
at  different  times  to  constitute  the  choir. 

94 


OPENING  AND  CLOSING  EXERCISES 

In  the  Rayne  Memorial  Sunday-school,  New  Orleans, 
the  importance  of  the  music  is  recognized  through  having 
a  "department  of  music,"  with  a  pianist,  organist,  and  a 
musical  director,  the  full  charge  of  the  music  programme 
being  in  their  care. 

Marching,  as  a  usual  part  of  the  opening  programme, 
appeals  to  the  interest  of  all  members  of  the  school.  The 
little  ones  may  march  from  the  main  room  to  their  class- 
room, or,  where  their  room  is  simply  shut  off  from  the 
main  room  by  folding  doors,  they  may  march  around  their 
room  to  deposit  their  offerings,  singing  while  they  march. 
As  an  exercise  for  all  the  school  in  the  Park  Church, 
Elmira,  N.  Y.,  marching  from  the  main  room  to  the  vari- 
ous department  rooms  is  regarded  as  essential  to  the  or- 
der of  the  school.  The  superintendent  says :  "It  is  a  mili- 
tary exercise  which  all  like,  and  it  takes  the  kinks  out 
of  the  boys  and  girls  as  nothing  else  would,  besides  ton- 
ing them  up  physically  and  so  giving  them  a  kind  of 
rest.  The  entire  school  has  marched  to  the  places  as- 
signed for  its  various  classes  and  departments  in  two 
minutes  by  my  watch." 

To  give  thought  to  the  "time"  that  shall  be  devoted  to 
the  opening  exercises  may  appear  of  little  importance,  but 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance!  Whatever  the  opening 
programme,  these  exercises  should  never  be  allowed  un- 
der any  circumstances  to  encroach  upon  the  usual  time 
allotted  for  the  study  of  the  lesson.  The  study  period 
cannot  be  too  zealously  guarded ;  and  classes  should  know 
that  nothing,  absolutely  nothing,  would  be  permitted  to 
take  so  much  as  one  minute  of  their  time  when  the  hour 
has  come  for  class  study.  The  time  devoted  to  the  open- 
ing exercises  varies  in  different  schools;  but  it  is  worth 
observing  that  in  the  stronger  schools  a  definite  time  is 
fixed  for  such  exercises.  In  the  Central  Church  of  Fall 
River,  Mass.,  only  ten  minutes  is  devoted  to  this  part  of 

95 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the  programme.  St.  Paul's  Methodist  Episcopal  Sun- 
day-school, Lowell,  Mass.,  uses  a  book  called  ''Responsive 
Worship  for  the  Bible  Service,"  and  the  school  takes  from 
fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  for  the  service,  the  pastor,  as- 
sistant pastor  and  superintendent  each  having  a  part.  In 
the  Second  Collegiate  Church,  Harlem,  N.  Y.,  the  open- 
ing devotional  exercises  occupy  usually  twenty-five  min- 
utes, the  lesson  thirty-five  minutes.  The  First  Presby- 
terian Sunday-school  of  Salt  Lake  City  takes  fifteen  min- 
utes for  opening  exercises. 

4.  For  the  closing  exercises  the  time  and  programme 
vary  as  largely  as  for  the  opening  exercises,  or  more,  per- 
haps, for  the  influence  of  the  lesson  study  on  the  pupils, 
or  of  unusual  earnestness  of  the  teachers,  or  of  some  ex- 
ceptional event  which  makes  itself  felt  on  the  school,  will 
suggest  to  the  alert  and  open-hearted  superintendent  the 
better  way  of  deepening  the  impression  of  the  hour. 

The  superintendent  of  Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal 
Sunday-school,  Denver,  Col.,  makes  it  a  practice  always 
to  close  in  the  midst  of  the  highest  interest, — to  send  the 
scholars  home  happy  and  enthusiastic,  to  avoid  ''spoiling 
the  enthusiasm  for  the  sake  of  carrying  out  any  old  dry 
programme." 

In  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  each  department  has  its  own  closing  ser- 
vice. The  opening  exercises  unite  the  school  at  the  be- 
ginning, and  the  separate  closing  exercises  allow  freedom 
and  adaptation  to  the  special  department  at  other  times. 

In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Boston, 
Mass.,  the  closing  exercises  consist  of  songs,  announce- 
ments, and  the  use  of  five  or  ten  minutes  in  giving  an 
evangelistic  talk,  or  pressing  home  some  truth  of  the  les- 
son, or  reviewing  the  lesson  of  the  day,  or  presenting  a 
missionary  topic  by  some  interesting  speaker,  followed  by 
a  closing  prayer. 

96 


OPENING  AND  CLOSING  EXERCISES 

In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school  of  Asheville,  N.  C, 
the  whole  morning-  is  directed,  first  to  the  class-room,  and 
second  to  a  splendid  closing  exercise  that  fre- 
quently results  in  an  evangelistic  meeting,  resulting 
often  in  conversions  in  the  Sunday-school ;  at  times  there 
have  been  as  many  as  fifty  conversions  in  the  Sunday- 
school  in  one  month. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Allentown,  Pa., 
uses  in  closing  the  same  hymn,  usually  a  good  old  church 
hymn,  for  a  month,  believing  that  by  so  doing  the  schol- 
ars will  become  familiar  with  the  words. 

The  Glens  Falls  Baptist  Sunday-school  of  Glens  Falls, 
N.  Y.,  finds  it  helpful  to  sing  a  short  anthem  at  the  close 
of  repeating  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which  is  followed  by.  a 
moment  of  silent  prayer  in  closing  the  school. 

In  the  Hammond  Street  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  Bangor,  Me.,  the  school  repeats  the  Lord's  Prayer 
in  closing.  The  superintendent  says :  *'We  used  to  have 
trouble  or  confusion  at  the  close  of  school ;  scholars  would 
rush  out  during  the  last  line  of  the  closing  hymn.  There 
is  now  no  unseemly  confusion." 

In  the  First  Methodist  Sunday-school,  Aurora,  111., 
they  aim  to  carry  out  the  programme  to  the  very  end, 
quietly  and  reverently.  After  the  classes  return  to  the 
main  room  they  sing,  hear  the  reports,  rise  and  sing  again, 
after  which  all  books  are  laid  down  at  the  same  time,  then 
quietly  and  reverently  the  school  repeats  a  familiar  pas- 
sage of  Scripture. 

The  Central  Congregational  Sunday-school,  Fall  River, 
Mass.,  makes  a  point  of  rarely  allowing  any  one  outside 
of  the  pastor  or  officers  to  address  the  school. 

Not  a  few  superintendents  make  it  a  principle  never  to 
ask  questions  on  the  lesson  at  the  close  of  school,  believ- 
ing that  such  practice  minimizes  the  work  of  the  teachers. 
As  to  the  wisdom  of  such  a  plan  each  school  only  can  de- 

97 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

termine  for  itself.  There  are  schools,  without  question, 
where  it  is  far  wiser  that  little  time  be  allotted  for  class 
study,  admitting  of  longer  time  for  general  teaching  of 
the  school  from  the  desk,  either  through  the  superin- 
tendent or  the  person  specially  appointed,  who  is  *'apt  to 
teach."  Our  aim  as  a  school  to  teach  the  school  being 
kept  in  mind,  personal  preferences  will  yield  to  the  adop- 
tion of  the  best  plan.^ 

III.  Attention  is  one  of  the  first  requirements  in  Sun- 
day-schools, as  in  other  schools.  The  day-school,  how- 
ever, has  the  weight  of  authority  back  of  it  and  certain 
penalties  for  inattention  which  the  Sunday-school,  gen- 
erally speaking,  has  not.  In  the  Sunday-school  the  per- 
sonal force  of  the  characters  of  teachers  and  officers,  and 
their  examples,  must  be  the  principal  factors  in  securing 
the  requisite  attention.  If  the  children  can  be  brought 
to  realize  that  the  whole  service  is  a  service  for  God  and 
that  this  is  the  first  thought  of  all  present,  more  than  half 
the  distance  is  covered.  In  the  Trinity  Evangelical  Sun- 
day-school, Allentown,  Pa.,  the  musicians  of  the  school, 
as  well  as  teachers  and  officers,  must  be  members  of  the 
church. 

Another  factor  in  holding  attention  is  promptness  in 
beginning,  and  a  quiet,  assured  order  of  service,  with  a 
leader  who  knows  what  he  is  doing  and  how  to  do  it. 

In  the  Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
"it  is  a  law  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  that  the  school 
must  be  quiet  before  they  have  the  exercises."  The  su- 
perintendent has  insisted  on  this  in  a  kind  way,  but  firmly, 
and  has  been  able  to  secure  it  by  using  a  force  of  ushers 
that,  he  says,  "some  superintendents  might  think  very 
foolish,"  but  which  gives  the  desired  result. 

A  successful  plan  in  securing  attention  is  through  the 

^Chapter  XXIV.  on  the  Superintendent  should  be  read  in 
connection  with  the  study  of  this  chapter. 

98 


OPENING  AND  CLOSING  EXERCISES 

superintendent  standing  at  the  desk  after  the  signal  or  in- 
timation of  ''come  to  order,"  and  remaining  quiet,  facing 
the  school,  saying  not  a  word  and  making  no  request, 
but  waiting  until  the  school  has  come  to  perfect  quiet. 
This  plan  is  singularly  successful. 

Many  schools  do  without  the  use  of  the  bell  through- 
out the  exercises.  In  the  Walnut  Street  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  where  the  school  or- 
chestra plays  for  about  twenty  minutes  before  school,  the 
ceasing  of  the  music  at  exactly  twenty  minutes  to  three 
is  the  signal,  and  the  only  signal,  for  the  beginning  of  the 
Sunday-school  session.  As  the  music  ceases  secretaries 
acting  as  ushers  step  to  the  doors  of  the  school  and  close 
them.  The  superintendent  speaks  just  a  word  of  an- 
nouncement that  the  time  for  opening  the  school  has  be- 
gun, raises  his  hand,  and  all  rise  to  be  led  in  prayer  by 
the  superintendent,  joining  at  the  close  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer.  After  this  prayer  there  is  no  verbal  announce- 
ment of  any  hymn,  but  the  orchestra,  at  a  signal  from  the 
leader,  plays  the  first  hymn,  which  is  announced  on 
hymn-boards  in  sight  of  all  the  school.  After  the  orches- 
tra has  played  the  hymn  over  the  leader  raises  his  hand 
in  the  air,  the  school  rises  and  the  hymn  is  then  sung. 
Through  all  the  exercises,  bell-ringing,  and  even  verbal 
announcements,  are  avoided  as  much  as  possible.  It  has 
been  found  that  the  quiet  dignity  of  the  services  is  im- 
proved and  increased  in  this  way.  The  only  time  a  bell 
is  rung  is  five  minutes  before  the  close  of  the  lesson 
study. 

As  a  means  of  aiding  close  attention  through  the  open- 
ing exercises  the  following  plan  is  occasionally  followed 
by  this  same  school.  It  is  an  old  one,  but  it  seems  always 
to  arouse  attention  and  interest.  The  superintendent 
reads  a  verse  by  himself  and  stops  anywhere  he  may 
please,  either  at  the  end  of  the  verse  or  in  the  middle  of 

99 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

that  verse  or  of  the  next  verse.  Wherever  he  stops  the 
school  is  to  take  np  the  reading  at  that  point  and  read 
to  the  end  of  the  verse.  This  simply  means  that  the 
school  must  pay  extra  attention  to  the  reading,  in  order  to 
be  ready  to  take  it  up  at  the  proper  point. 

In  the  North  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Camden,  N.  J.,  a 
voluntary  is  played  on  an  organ  while  the  school  is  assem- 
bling. At  a  signal  from  the  desk  the  music  ceases,  and 
this  is  the  sign  for  absolute  quiet,  no  bell  or  other  warn- 
ing being  used.  The  organ  is  played  quietly  in  a  similar 
way  when  the  classes  disperse  for  lesson  study,  and  also 
when  they  reassemble.  The  subdued  tones  of  the  organ 
cover  up  the  slight  noise  and  conversation  of  the  prelimi- 
nary assembling  or  the  subsequent  reassembling.  To 
make  sure  that  the  attention  of  the  scholars  shall  not  be 
distracted  in  this  school,  until  the  first  hymn  is  sung  no 
late-comers  are  permitted  to  disturb  the  exercises.  The 
doors  are  locked  when  the  classes  have  gone  to  lesson 
study,  and  are  not  unlocked  until  within  a  few  minutes  of 
closing.  Of  course,  it  is  possible  to  get  in  or  out  if  nec- 
essary, but  while  the  doors  are  locked  there  is  supposed 
to  be  no  ingress  or  egress. 

IV.  An  essential  for  this  work  is  a  definite  pro- 
gramme, or  order  of  service,  for  the  hour.  By  this  we 
do  not  mean  a  detailed  service,  cut  and  dried,  that  must 
be  gone  through  to  the  end ;  but  we  mean,  rather,  the  pro- 
vision for  certain  parts  that  must  have  place,  and  then 
one  thing  at  a  time.  First  of  all,  decide  (through  a  teach- 
ers' meeting)  just  how  much  time  is  to  be  allotted  to  the 
study  of  the  lessons  in  classes.  Secondly,  devote  a  spe- 
cial time  (during  the  opening  exercises)  to  the  distribu- 
tion and  marking  of  the  registers  or  class-books.  Ten 
minutes  in  the  average  school  can  be  devoted  to  this  work, 
which  time  also  affords  opportunity  for  social  converse 
of  classes.     This  plan  conserves  the  interest  of  the  whole 

lOO 


OPENING  AND  CLOSING  EXERCISES 

hour,  affording  brief  respite  and  enabling  a  school  to  sing 
when  it  sings,  to  study  when  it  studies,  and  to  mark  the 
classes  at  a  time  devoted  solely  to  this  work. 

V.  One  remark  in  closing  this  chapter,  and  I  make 
it  here  because  of  its  import;  it  is  a  thought  that  cannot 
be  emphasized  too  strongly,  that  our  danger  is  that  our 
opening  exercises  will  be  too  long  rather  than  too  short, 
that  in  closing  we  shall  say  too  much  rather  than  too 
little.  The  opening  devotional  service  is  urgent  be- 
cause of  the  worship  at  the  time  and  because 
of  the  promotion  of  the  spirit  of  worship  through  the 
education  of  the  emotions.  But  this  is  only  one  function 
of  the  Bible-school,  and  must  not  encroach  upon  the  other, 
even  as  the  other  must  not  encroach  upon  the  one. 
Therefore,  nothing  ever,  at  any  time,  under  any  condi- 
tions, should  be  allowed  to  encroach,  even  in  the  least  of 
ways,  on  the  time  needed,  expected  and  usually  employed 
in  the  study  of  the  lesson,  unless  it  be  a  time  when  the 
whole  session  is  devoted  to  Decision  Day  exercises,  or 
services  of  like  urgency.  If  a  superintendent  fail  in  all 
else  save  the  protection  of  teachers  and  classes  in  the  full 
time  of  their  study  period,  he  will  prove  **a  workman  that 
needeth  not  be  ashamed." 


lOI 


CHAPTER  VIII 

WAYS    OF    AWAKENING    AND    MAINTAINING    INTEREST    IN 
BIBLE    STUDY 

"The  Bible  is  the  book  of  all  others,  to  be  read  at  all  ages  and  in  all 
conditions  of  human  life;  not  to  be  read  once,  or  twice,  or  thrice  through, 
then  laid  aside,  but  to  be  read  every  day," 

John  Quincy  Adams. 

"The  most  learned,  acute  and  diligent  student  cannot,  in  the  longest 
life,  obtain  an  entire  knowledge  of  this  one  volume.  He  will  leave  the 
world  confessing  that  the  more  he  studied  the  Scriptures  the  fuller  con- 
victions he  had  of  their  inestimable  worth." 

Sir   Walter    Scott. 

I  ASSUME  with  joyful  confidence  that  Bible-school  work- 
ers believe  in  the  Scriptures,  not  only  as  the  divine  Word, 
but  also  as  the  enipoivered  Word  that  "returns  not  void," 
meeting  a  need  found  in  every  life,  even  as  bread  meets 
a  need  of  every  life,  renewing,  rehabilitating  and  em- 
powering. The  inner  man  is  blessed,  indeed,  as  he  feeds 
upon  the  bread  that  the  world  knows  not  of, — and  is 
strangely  comforted,  illumined,  inspired  and  made  strong. 
Never  were  the  men  representing  the  various  types  of 
the  world's  scholarly  thought  and  research  so  clear  in 
their  convictions,  so  strong  in  their  judgments,  or  so 
unanimous  in  their  expressions  of  the  need  of  man,  and 
of  the  power  of  the  Word  of  God  to  meet  that  need,  as 
now!  How,  then,  can  we  bring  the  need  and  the  cure, 
man  and  the  Word,  together?  That  to-day  is  the  ques- 
tion of  questions. 

I.  One  superintendent  writes:  "First,  the  home  must 
have  an  interest  in  Bible  study.  It  is  not  very  success- 
ful, this  sending  of  a  boy  off  to  Sunday-school  while  the 
father  reads  a  Sunday  newspaper  at  home."  ^      The  co- 

^J.  H.  Montgomery,  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Ann  Arbor, 
Mich. 

102 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

Operation  of  parents,  therefore,  through  Christian  Hv- 
ing,  and  in  the  Bible  training  of  children,  is  essential. 
The  enrolment  of  pupils  has  successfully  been  made  the 
occasion  for  pressing  upon  parents  their  part  and  respon- 
sibility, as  through  the  following  letter: 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  OF  THE  SIXTH  PRES- 
BYTERIAN CHURCH. 

ViNCENNES  Avenue  and  36TH  Street. 

William  P.  Merrill,  Pastor. 
Chicago,   — 


Dear  Friends  :     We  have  this  day  received  your 


into    our    school.    has   been    placed    in    Class    No.    

Teacher,  M 

We  appreciate  the  confidence  you  have  thus  shown  in  us,  and 
we  thank  you  for  this  opportunity  of  being  of  service  to  you  and 
yours. 

We  have  two  definite  aims  in  our  work :  First,  to  lead  every 
pupil  to  know  Jesus  Christ  as  a  personal  friend  and  Saviour ;  and, 
second,  to  give  our  pupils  as  thorough  a  knowledge  of  the  Bible 
as  we  can. 

May  we  remind  you  that  we  can  accomplish  very  little  without 
the  co-operation  of  the  home?  One  hour  a  week  for  religious 
instruction  is  worth  little,  unless  it  supplements  and  enforces  the 
training  received  in  the  home.  We  earnestly  ask  your  co-opera- 
tion, not  only  for  our  sake,  but  chiefly  for  the  good  and  in  the 
interests  of  your  child. 

We  would  be  glad  to  have  you  visit  the  school  any  Sunday 
from  12  to  1. 10  and  see  for  yourselves  what  we  do  and  how  we  do 
it.  We  would  be  glad  to  have  you  join  one  of  its  adult  classes 
if  you  can.  If  unable  to  attend  the  sessions,  our  Home  Depart- 
ment will  enable  you  to  keep  up  with  the  lessons  at  your  home. 
Nothing  more  effectively  secures  the  interest  of  the  child  in  Bible 
study  than  to  have  the  father  and  mother  study  the  same  lessons 
week  by  week. 

If  you  are  not  regularly  attending  any  church  we  would  be  very 
glad  to  see  you  at  our  services.  If  religion  is  a  good  thing  for  a 
child,  surely  it  is  a  good  thing  for  the  parents.  Our  Sunday 
services  are  at  10.30  and  7.45,  our  prayer-meeting  Wednesday 
evening  at  8.     We  hope  to  see  you  there  soon  and  often. 

With  the  wish  that  our  church  may  prove  a  real  help  to  you 

103 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

and  yours,  and  a  prayer  for  God's  blessing  upon  your  home,  we 
are,  Yours  faithfully, 


Superintendent. 


First  Assistant  Supt. 


Second  Assistant  Supt. 

The   Bethany   Sunday-school,   Philadelphia,   sends   the 
following  memorandum  to  the  parents : 


BETHANY 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

-  190 

Dear  Mrs. 

the  quarter 

.-was  present  during 

ending. 

--,  Stifidays. 

-was  able  to  repeat 

the  Golden  Text 

—Sundays. 

brought  an  offering Sundays. 

conduct  was 

satisfactory. 

is             entitled  to 

badge  No 

Praying  that  all 
Lamb^s  Book  of  Life ^  I 

our  natnes  may  be  -written  in  the 
am, 

Tours  cordially., 

2.  Use  of  the  Bible  in  the  school.  In  the  study  of 
the  Sunday-school  lesson  there  is  an  increasing  tendency 
to  do  away  with  the  lesson  quarterlies  that  pupils  may 
study  directly  from  the  Bible. 

Whatever  the  plan  of  Bible  study,  pupils  should  be  re- 
quested to  bring  their  own  Bibles  to  the  school.  The 
bringing  of  Bibles  may  be  encouraged  by  a  call  for  a 
show  of  Bibles  occasionally  as  a  part  of  the  opening  ex- 
ercises ;  again,  the  bringing,  and  also  the  report  on  the 
daily  reading,  of  the  Bible  may  have  part  in  the  per- 
centage marking  of  the  pupils,  and  so  afifect  their  stand- 
ing.    In  the  Sixth  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Chicago, 

104 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

111.,  the  class  with  every  member  present,  and  with  his 
own  Bible,  is  ranked  as  a  star  class,  and  is  marked  by 
a  star  on  a  stand  about  seven  feet  high. 

Making  use  of  the  Bibles  in  the  school  is  an  important 
point  in  encouraging  children  to  bring  them.  As  the 
superintendent  of  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  De- 
catur, 111.,  says :  "Children  will  not  trouble  themselves 
to  carry  a  Bible  unless  some  use  is  made  of  it,  either  in 
the  school  by  the  superintendent  or  in  the  classes  by  the 
teachers." 

In  the  Park  Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  nothing  is  printed 
but  schedules  of  the  work  and  Scripture  references  where 
the  lessons  and  liturgies  and  readings  may  be  found,  so 
that  the  pupils  may  be  drilled  in  the  use  of  their  Bibles. 
No  lesson  leaves  are  used.  The  teachers  attend  the  teach- 
ers' meeting  for  instruction  in  all  matters.  In  the  First 
Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Allentown,  Pa.,  every 
scholar  of  the  main  school  is  furnished  with  a  school  Bi- 
ble, which  is  used  instead  of  the  International  lesson  helps 
in  the  sessions. 

The  First  Baptist  School,  Philadelphia,  provides 
Bibles  for  all  scholars,  and  they  read  an  Old 
Testament  lesson  and  a  New  Testament  lesson  every 
Sunday  afternoon.  The  superintendent  tries  to  select 
passages  both  in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament bearing  on  the  lesson  of  the  day.  After  he  has 
announced  the  chapter  from  which  the  lesson  is  to  be 
read  he  waits  until  every  pupil  in  school  has  the  place, 
and  then  calls  on  all  having  the  chapter  to  raise  their 
Bibles.  In  this  way  the  superintendent  is  enabled  to 
see  if  any  scholar  is  not  reading,  and  he  waits  until  that 
scholar  joins  with  the  others  in  holding  up  the  Bible.  By 
rigidly  adhering  to  this  method  this  school  has  been  so 
trained  that  they  unanimously  find  the  place  without  diffi- 
culty and  join   in   the   reading  of  the   lessons.     In   the 

105 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

First  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Decatur,  111., 
all  who  have  their  Bibles  are  asked  to  find  the  place  and 
to  rise  and  read  the  lesson  while  the  others  remain  seated. 
The  Bible  bearers  are  counted,  and  announcement  and 
comment  are  made. 

Where  quarterlies  are  not  used,  the  home  study  slip,  to 
be  filled  in  at  home,  is  a  strong  aid. 


HOME  STUDY  SLIP. 

March  9,  1902.  FIRST  QUARTER.  Lesson  10. 

FOR  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Tour  Name Address 

Class Department 

i^j                             Toledo  Sunday-school  Supply  Co.,       20  cts.  per  100, 
^^°-  ^°- Toledo,  O. post-paid 

TO  TEACHERS.— Take  or  send  one  of  these  Slips  to  every  absent 
scholar  every  week. 

TO  SCHOLARS. — Use  your  Bible  in  looking  up  these  answers.  The 
Suggested  Readings  will  help  you  to  understand  the  lesson.  Read 
them  all  if  you  can,  and  try  to  learn  the  memory  verses.  You  will 
find  the  work  easy  and  delightful.  Hand  this  Slip  to  your  teacher 
next  Sunday. 

The  Disciples  Scaitered.    Acis  8  :  3-13. 

(Suggested  reading,  Acts  8  :  18-25).         Memory  Verses,  4-22,  23. 
GOLDEN  TEXT. —  There/ore  they  that  were  scattered  abroad  went 
averywhere preaching  the  word. — Acts  8  :  4. 

1.  Have  you  read  this  lesson  ? (Suggested  reading,  too?. ) 

2.  What  is  said  of  Saul  ? 

3.  What  did  they,  who  was  scattered  abroad,  do  ? 

4.  Who  went  down  to  Samaria  and  what  did  he  do  there  ? 

5.  Unto  what  did  the  people  give  heed  ? 

6.  What  is  said  of  those  who  had  unclean  spirits,  and  those  who  were 

lame? 

7.  Why  was  there  great  joy  in  the  city  of  Samaria  ? 

8.  When  they,  who  had  been  followers  of  Simon   the  Sorcerer,  heard 

Philip's  preaching,  what  did  they  do? 

9.  What  is  recorded  of  Simon  himself? 

10.  Who  were  sent  by  the  apostles  to  perfect  this  good  work  at  Samaria? 
Acts  8  :  14. 


3.  Our  work  in  the  school  falls  short  unless  it  leads 
to  the  use  of  the  Bible  in  the  home.  To  encourage  home 
readings,  and  readings  other  than  the  lesson-study,  out- 
lines of  Bible  readings  are  provided  and  rewards  are 

106 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

given  to  those  who  faithfully  follow  them,  usually  a  Bible 
or  a  certificate.  The  following  is  one  of  these  outlines, 
which  are  now  used  by  many  churches : 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TIMES  BIBLE-READING  CIRCLE. 

Reading  Card. 

This  card  shows  what  parts  of  the  Bible  I  intend  to  read  during 
the  month  of  April,  igoi. 

Vol.  IV.  April  i,  iqoi.  No.  4 

Apr.  1.  Luke  24  :  1-12 — The  angels  tell  that  Jesus  rose  from  the  grave. 

"    2.  Matt.  28  :  i-io— The  risen  Jesus  meets  the  faithful  women, 

'*    3.  John  20  :  i-io — What  three  disciples  saw  at  Jesus'  tomb. 

"    4.  Luke  9  :  18-22 — Jesus  tells  beforehand  that  he  will  rise  from  the 

grave. 

"     5.  Mark  15  :  25-39 — The  story  of  his  death  on  the  cross, 

"     6,  Matt.  27  :  62-66 — His  tomb  sealed,  and  a  guard  set  to  watch  it. 

"     7,  John  10  :  11-18 — Jesus  had  power  to  lay  down  his  life  and  to  take 

it  again, 

"    8.  John  20  :  11-18 — How  the  risen  Jesus  showed  himself  to  Mary. 

"    9.  Mark  16  :  i-ii — News  that  seemed  too  good  to  be  true. 

"  10.  Mark  16  :  12-20 — How  he  appeared,  and  what  he  said  afterwards. 

"  II,  John  16  :  25-33 — Some  sweet  promises  Jesus  gave  his  friends, 

"  12,  John  17  :  1-13 — A  loving  prayer  Jesus  offered  for  his  friends. 

"  13.  John  10  :  1-4,  27-29 — They  are  safe  who  heed  the  voice  of  Jesus, 

"  14.  Rev.  I  :  9-18 — He  was  dead,  but  now  he  lives  forever, 

"  15.  Luke  24  :  13-27 — A  walk  and  a  talk  with  Jesus. 

"  16.  Luke  24  :  28-35 — Receiving  a  blessing  from  Jesus, 

"  17.  Luke  18  :  28-34 — Jesus  tells  beforehand  what  he  is  so  soon  to  suffer. 

"  18,  Acts  3  :  12-18 — Jesus  was  killed  because  the  people  did  not  know 

him. 

"  19,  John  14  :  19-24 — How  may  we  be  sure  that  we  really  love  Jesus  ? 

"  20.  Matt.  14  :  13-21 — A  great  company  fed  with  a  very  little  food, 

"  21,  John  5  :  39-41 — Moses  wrote  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"  22.  John  20  :  19-29 — The  doors  were  shut,  but  Jesus  came  in. 

"  23  Luke  24  :  36-49 — How  Jesus  turned  fright  into  joy. 

'*  24.  I  Cor.  15  :  i-ix — Who  saw  Jesus  after  he  rose  from  the  grave? 

"  25.  I  Cor.  15  :  12-22 — Because  Christ  rose  from  the  grave  so  shall  his 

friends. 

"  26.  Acts  2  :  22-36 — Peter  was  sure  that  Jesus  rose  from  the  grave. 

"  «7,  Acts  13  :  26-37 — Paul  was  sure  that  Jesus  rose  from  the  grave, 

"  28,  I  Peter  i  :  1-9 — Hope  and  joy  may  be  ours  because  Jesus  rose  from 

the  grave. 


[Reverse  side.] 

When  I  make  a  mark  like  this  {/  at  the  left  end  of  any 
line^  it  means  that  I  have  read,  on  the  day  named  at  the 
end  of  the  line,  the  Bible  verses  for  that  day. 

When  the  mark  does  not  appear  at  the  end  of  a  line, 
the  blank  shows  that  I  have  been  really  unable  to  read  the 
verses  for  the  day. 

Name. 

Address. 

Teacher. 


Issued  monthly  by  The  Szinday-school  Times  Company,  1031  Walnut 
Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Subscription  price,  12  cents  per  year  ;  60  cents  per 
hundred  copies  per  month  ;  yearly  subscription,  $6.00  per  hundred  copies. 


MODERN    METHODS    IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 
Another  suggestive  plan  is  the  following : 


NINETEEN   WEEKS 
Bible  Rka 

IN   THE   NEW   TESTA 

MENT. 

DING  Class  of  the 

FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

Johnstown,   Pa. 

Two  Chapters  a  Day.     Beginning  January  6,  ending  May  17,  1901. 

Readers'  Guide. 

Week. 

Beginning.                                         Read 

. 

ist     .     . 

.     .     Jan.    6    .     .     .     .         Matt,    i  to 

Matt.  14 

2d       .     . 

.     .     Jan.  13 

Matt.  IS  to 

Matt.  28 

3d      .     . 

.     .     Jan.  20 

Mark    i  to 

Mark  14 

4th     .     . 

.     .     Jan.  27 

.     Feb.     3 

Mark  15  to 

Luke  12 

Sth     .     . 

Luke  13  to 

Jno.    2 

6th     .     . 

.     Feb.  10 

Jno.    3  to 

Jno.  16 

7th     .     . 

.     Feb.  17 

Jno.  17  to 

Acts    9 

Sth     .     . 

.     Feb.  24 

Acts  10  to 

Acts  23 

9th     .     . 

.     Mar.    3 

Acts  24  to 

Rom.    0 

10th     .     . 

.     Mar.  10 

Rom.  ID  to 

iCor.    7 

nth     .     . 

.     Mar.  17 

I  Cor.    8  to 

2  Cor.    5 

I2th      .      . 

.     Mar.  24 

2  Cor.    6  to 

Eph.    I 

13th     .     . 

.     Mar.  31 

Eph.    2  to  I 

Thess.    I 

14th     .     . 

.     Apr.    7 

I  Thess.    2  to 

2  Tim.    I 

15th     .     . 

.     Apr.  14 

2  Tim.    2  to 

Heb.    7 

i6th     .     . 

.     Apr.  21 

Heb.    8  to 

I  Peter    3 

17th     .     . 

.    Apr.  28 

I  Peter    4  to 

Rev.    I 

i8th     .     . 

.     May    5 

Rev.    2  to 

Rev.  15 

19th     .     . 

.     May  12 

Rev.  16  to 

End 

Each  reader 

s  requested  to  select  a  favorite  verse  each  week  from  the    1 

readings  of  the  w 

eek,  write  it  upon  a  slip  of  paper,  sign  h 

is  or  her  name    1 

and  hand  to  the  superintendent  at  Sabbath-school  on  the  Sunday  following    | 

:he  reading. 

B .  D.  Jolly,  Superintendent. 

The  Baptist  Temple  Bible  School,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  has 
a  good  method  for  home  readings.  The  reading  out- 
lines are  given  out  one  Sunday  to  be  read  in  connection 
with  the  lesson  for  the  next  Sunday.  They  are  brought 
back,  placed  in  the  box  which  is  in  the  church  vestibule, 
gathered    by    any    one    who    has    this    special    work    in 


BAPTIST  TEMPLE   BIBLE-SCHOOL, 
BROOKLYN,   N.  Y. 

This  certifies   that 

has  finished  prescribed  zvork  given  hy  this   School  in  the 

Reading  of  the  Bible  for  the  year  ending  yune 

Pastor.        Supt' 

Seer  eta  ry. 


^  Wording  of  a  certificate  12x15  inches. 
108 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

charge.  In  June  the  readings  cease.  All  who  have  made 
a  perfect  record  receive  a  diploma. 

After  the  first  year,  and  for  each  successive  year,  a  gold 
seal  is  placed  on  the  diploma.  This  applies  to  every  de- 
partment of  the  school,  including  the  Home  and  Chinese 
Departments.^ 

In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Plainfield,  N.  J., 
daily  Bible  reading  is  stimulated  by  telling  a  Bible  story 
frequently,  in  part  only,  and  urging  the  children  to  hunt 
for  the  rest  of  the  story  and  give  its  location  in  the  Bible. 

Memorizing.  In  the  Park  Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y., 
to  be  a  member  of  a  "regular"  class  in  Sunday-school,  one 
is  required  to  learn  and  recite : 

1.  The  Lord's  Prayer.     Matt.  6:9-13. 

2.  The   Creed. 

(Cards  given  for.) 

3.  The  Ten  Commandments.     Exod.  20 :  3-17. 

4.  The  sum  of  them.      Matt.  22 :  37-40. 
And, 

5.  To  learn  and  recite  with  the  school  each  Sunday  the  lesson 
set  for  the  day  in  the  paper. 

It  is  stimulating  to  read  of  the  further  requirements 
for  membership  in  this  school : 

The  Ten  Commandments  and  the  Apostles'  Creed  are  learned 
by  those  over  ten  years  of  age,  before  enrolment  in  the  school. 

Pupils  are  then  called  "Preparatory"  until  they  have  commit- 
ted to  memory  the  Church's  Liturgy — twenty-one  Sundays. 

The  Liturgy  (compiled  mostly  from  the  Bible)  and  prepara- 
tory to  the  regular  course,  is  learned  by  the  younger  pupils 
in  the  Primary  classes;  by  those  older,  in  a  separate  course  of 
twenty-one  lessons ;  by  the  more  capable  if  they  choose,  at  the 
same  time  with  the  regular  lessons,  receiving  credit  for  both. 

The  Church  gives  a  Testament  to  pupils  who  have  completed 

^  The  superintendent  credits  the  Sunday-school  Times  for  his 
first  impulse  for  this,  but  part  of  it  is  his  own  idea. 

109 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the  Liturgy,  and  have  been  satisfactory  six  successive  months 
in  the  regular  lessons  of  the  course,  and  in  the  other  require- 
ments of  the  school.      Also  : 

To  those  satisfactory  one  year  of  successive  Sundays,  a  one- 
year  certificate. 

To  those  satisfactory  two  years,  a  two-year  certificate,  and  so 
on  five  years. 

To  those  who  remain  in  the  school  a  sixth  year  the  Church 
gives  a  Bible  or  Bible  Dictionary. 

Pupils  are  "Irregular"  when  they  needlessly  fail  of  the  school 
requirements,  and  exhibit  no  interest  in  restoring  themselves. 
These  are  considered  as  visitors  merely,  taking  no  Library  Books 
until  they  have  been  satisfactory  six  weeks,  or  their  back  marks 
are  restored. 

Honorary  members  receive  credit  for  all  they  perform,  but 
do  not  always  commit  the  lesson. 

Parents  of  pupils  are  urged  to  assist  their  children  in  com- 
mitting the  lessons  to  memory,  and  to  read  with  them  the  re- 
quired chapters.  They  are  cordially  invited  to  join  the  school, 
on  equal  terms  with  their  children.  Those  who  do  this  never 
regret  the  time  thus  given. 

In  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  of  Wilkes- 
barre,  Pa.,  many  of  the  older  teachers  are  examples  to 
their  classes  in  earning  the  certificates  offered  for  com- 
mitting to  memory  the  following  chapters  : 

BIBLE  CHAPTERS  TO  BE  MEMORIZED. 

FIRST   SERIES. 

Psalms  I,  23,  91,  103.  Romans   12. 

Isaiah  53.  i   Corinthians  13. 

John    14.  I  John  3. 

SECOND   SERIES. 

Psalms  27,  34,  121.  Hebrews    12:1-11. 

Isaiah   55.  2  Peter  i. 

Matthew  5:  1-16.  i  John  2:  1-17. 

Matthew  7:  1-20.  Revelation  22. 


Matthew  25 :  31-46. 


1 10 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 
The  following  sets  forth  another  plan : 

FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Rough  KEEPsiE,  N.  Y. 

Members  of  this  school  who  learn  the  following  parts  of  the 
Bible  will  be  presented  with  a  Bible : 

Exodus  20:  1-17.  Matthew  5:  1-16;  6:  1-15. 

Psalms  I,  19,  23.  I   Corinthians  13 :  1-13. 

E.  P.  Platt,  Superintendent. 

The  Princeton   Presbyterian   Sunday-school,   Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  has  made  announcement  by  card  as  follows : 


ANNIVERSARY  REWARDS  FOR  JUNE,  1904. 

FIRST 

To  the  scholars  who  shall  recite  the  Shorter  Catechism — the  first 
eighty-one  questions  to  be  recited  to  the  teacher  before  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary, 1904,  and  the  entire  Catechism  to  the  Pastor  some  time  during  May, 
1904.  (This  reward  is  a  handsome  and  useful  reference  Bible,  such  as 
each  scholar  should  have.) 

SECOND 

To  the  scholars  who  shall  attend  forty  Sabbath  services  during  the 
year,  of  which  at  least  thirty  shall  be  in  our  own  church,  and  commit  to 
memory  the  texts  of  the  sermons — the  entire  number,  forty,  to  be  recited 
to  the  teacher  prior  to  May  i,  1904. 

THIRD 

To  the  scholars  who  shall  give  forty  passages  in   the  Old  Testament 
which  refer  to  Jesus  Christ  and  which  are  quoted  in  the  New  Testament, 
the  passages  to  be  neatly  written  in  ink,  on  cap  paper,  on  one  side  of  sheet 
only  and  to  be  handed  in  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  May,  1904. 
FOURTH 
To  the  scholars  who  shall  recite  to  their  teacher  Isaiah  53d,  Psalms 
125th  and  91st,   Ecclesiastes    12th,   Romans  8th  and  Hebrews  12th,  and 
Hymns  390,  537,  512  and  511  from  the  new  Presbyterian  Hymnal. 
FIFTH 

a.  To  the  scholars  who  shall  not  be  absent  during  the  year. 

b.  To  the  scholars  who  shall  not  be  absent  more  than  three  Sabbaths 
during  the  year. 

Certificates  of  attendance  at  other  schools  during  summer  accepted. 

SIXTH 
To  the  scholars  who  shall  commit  to  memory  and  recite  the  Golden 
Texts  and  memory  verses  of  the  lessons  to  the  teacher  each  Sabbath. 
SEVENTH 
To  the  scholars  who  shall  bring  three  new  scholars  who  are  not  mem- 
bers of  any  other  school  and  shall  continue  their  attendance  at  least  three 
months. 

FOR  INTERMEDIATE  CLASS 
Reward  No.  2. — To  read  35  Sabbaths  ;  25  in  our  own  church. 
Reward  No.  4.— Omit   Isaiah  53d,  Romans  8th,  Hebrews  lath  and 
Hymnal  512. 

Reward  No.  5.— To  read  four  Sabbaths. 


Ill 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

4.  Special  drills  on  Bible  history,  promises,  facts  and 
people,  from  the  superintendent's  desk,  taking  only  a  few 
minutes  at  a  time,  usually  during  the  opening  exercises, 
is  an  excellent  plan,  and  with  some  peculiar  advantages. 
This  drill  may  be  conducted  by  the  superintendent,  the 
pastor,  or  by  one  specially  appointed  to  the  task. 

In  the  Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Philadelphia,  following  the  opening  hymn  five  minutes 
is  devoted  to  a  question-and-answer  supplemental  course 
of  Bible  study  prepared  by  John  B.  Smith,  and  published 
by  the  Sunday-school  Times  Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
The  superintendent  says :  "1  think  we  have  learned  more 
all-round  knowledge  of  the  Bible  (teachers,  scholars  and 
superintendent)  from  this  supplemental  course  than  in 
almost  any  other  way."  ^ 

The  little  book  edited  by  Mr.  Smith  is  entitled  A  Sup- 
plemental Bible  Question  Course,  and  ought  to  be  in  the 
hands  of  every  Sunday-school  superintendent,  however 
efficient  he  may  be.  It  is  a  course  of  simple  questions 
(with  answers  in  parenthesis)  divided  into  thirteen  les- 
sons, giving  drill  on 

1.  The  names  and  grand  divisions  of  the  Bible,  the  spirit  and 
object  for  which  the  Bible  was  given,  and  the  use  we  should 
make  of  it. 

2.  A  brief  outline  of  the  life  of  Jesus  and  an  ability  to  tell  the 
good  news  He  brought. 

3.  An  outline  of  the  history  of  the  Jewish  nation. 

4.  A  little  related  knowledge  ^f  the  world's  history. 

5.  Ten  to  twenty  verses  designated  by  their  titles ;  for  ex- 
ample: The  Golden  Rule,  The  Little  Gospel,  The  Faithful  Say- 
ing, etc. 

6.  Ten  to  twenty  eminent  chapters  known  by  their  titles  or 
contents;  for  example:  i  Cor.  13,  Rev.  22,  Matt.  5,  etc. 

^  This  word  of  commendation  of  this  plan  is,  indeed,  signifi- 
cant, coming  as  it  does  from  the  gifted  editor  of  the  Sunday- 
school  Times,  Mr.  Charles  Gallaudet  Trumbull. 

112 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

7.  The  descriptive  appellations  of  thirty  to  fifty  persons ;  for 
example :  An  Israelite  Indeed,  The  Father  of  the  Faithful,  etc. 

8.  The  names  of  twenty  to  thirty  Bible  places,  and  the  chief 
events  that  have  made  them  famous. 

9.  The  Ten  Commandments,  Psalm  i,  Psalm  23,  The  Beati- 
tudes, The  Lord's  Prayer,  The  Apostles'  Creed. 

10.  Twenty  other  choice  passages,  with  some  idea  of  their 
meaning  and  use,  and  the  places  where  they  are  found. 

ir.  The  ability  to  find  Bible  references  promptly,  and  to  en- 
joy  it. 

I  believe  with  Mr.  Smith  that  the  school  that  has  been 
well  drilled  in  these  lessons  will  have  been  made  so  famil- 
iar with  the  order,  classification,  times  and  characteristics 
of  the  various  Bible  books  that  before  the  year  is  over  it 
will  be  able  to  recognize  many  of  the  books  from  the  read- 
ing of  any  plainly  characteristic  verse  selected  from  them, 
and  generally,  in  the  case  of  the  remainder,  to  recognize 
the  class  to  which  they  belong. 

In  the  Classon  Avenue  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
the  teachers  and  scholars  are  expected  to  become  familiar 
with  certain  facts  and  parts  of  the  Bible  which  are  printed 
in  their  manual,  such  as : 


Books  of  the  Bible.  The  Life  of  Jesus. 

Psalms  I,  23,  117,  121.  The  Apostolic  Church. 

The  Lord's  Prayer.  Life  of   Paul. 

The  Beatitudes.  Chronological  Table. 

Memory  Verses.  Biblical    Geography. 

The  Apostles'  Creed.  Memory  Tests. 

Old    Testament    History.  Reminders. 


The  school  is  drilled  by  means  of  charts,  where  abbre- 
viations are  used  to  indicate  the  various  facts  and  events, 
until  all  are  familiar  with  them.  Then  the  drills  are  from 
memory.  The  following  outline  of  the  life  of  Christ  will 
illustrate  this  method  in  drills  and  grouping  of  facts: 

113 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


THE 

LIFE    OF    JESUS. 

PERIODS. 

I. 

P      30  y. 

V.    L  J  6  mo. 

n. 

J        II  mo. 

VI.     L  P  I  week. 

HI. 

E  G  i6  mo. 

VII.     z|o  D  40  days. 

IV. 

N  G    6  mo. 

I. 

Preparation. 

NB 

WM 

FE             HN              VJ 

II.      JUDEA. 

B 

Tem 

ED                  N 

w  s 

III.     Eastern  Galilee. 
RN  CH  A  A  SM  3C 

IV.     Northern  Galilee, 
SPh   W  4,000  PC  D   F  Tra 

V.  Last  Journeys. 

RL  PS  YR  BM  AB 

VI.  Last  Passover. 

T  E  L  D  L  SI  Tri  C 

VII.     The  Forty  Days. 
R  ET  AD  GC  A 

This  is  putting  great  truths  in  a  small  compass,  but  is 
possible  and  practicable.  The  above  is  the  key  or  abbre- 
viations for  the  history  of  the  life  of  Christ,  set  forth  in 
an  attractive  and  readable  way,  at  once  thorough,  com- 
prehensive and  devotional,  in  the  Outline  Lessons  on  the 
Life  of  Christ,^  prepared  by  Rev.  R.  R.  Williams  for 
the  use  of  the  Classon  Avenue  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn, 
ond  now  issued  in  leaflet  form  by  the  Sunday-school 
Times  Company.'^ 

^  Price,  2  cents  per  copy  or  $1.50  per  hundred  copies,  postage 
free. 
'Address,   Philadelphia,   Pa. 

114 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 


In  the  Second  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Dubuque, 
la.,  the  superintendent  takes  five  minutes  of  the  opening 
exercises  for  normal  drill  on  Books  of  the  Bible,  some 
Bible  character,  chronology,  journeys,  description  of  Je- 
rusalem or  other  localities,  and  other  ideas  which  suggest 
themselves.  For  this  drill  he  has  found  "A  search  for 
Bible  Texts"  very  taking  with  the  scholars.  The  schol- 
ars are  asked  to  open  their  Bibles,  then  a  certain  text  is 
called  for  and  the  scholar  first  finding  it  rises  and  reads, 

115 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


Usually  ten  references  are  given,  and  the  scholar  credited 
with  the  greatest  number  receives  a  card  or  simple  sou- 
venir. 

The  United  Church,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  has  an  ''Out- 
line Chart  of  Old  Testament  History,"  arranged  pri- 
marily for  teaching  supplemental  work  in  the  Junior  De- 
partment. The  broad  outlines  of  Old  Testament  history 
are  arranged  in  the  following  way : 


REHOBOAM  /SAIAH 

ASA  JEREMIAH 

JEHOSHAPHAT 

^i^^^^.'A'^  fjUOMTAKtlt    ) 

JOS/ AH        \Cf.^n*f  s^j^c) 


VH.  TM£ RETURN-BECINNINCS36aC 
REMEMBER 

CYRUS 

QAHIUS 

ZEWBBABEL 

EZRA 

A/£HEM/AH 

Esther 


UNDEI^ZfWBBABEL 

-REBt/ILDS  T£MPl£ 
MDEREZRA  -COLLECTS 

\_SCRIPTURES 
Uf^DEn/^EHEMIAH-REBUlLBi 

\WALL0FJEI{USALEM 


W.     THECAPTIVJTV-S87-'^36B.C. 
Falloejerusalem  to  First  RSTifR/v 
REMEA\SEf^ 


L/FE  IN  Babylon 
Story  OF  Daniel 
Deliverance  BY  CyRi/s 
Captives  70  years 


JEREMIAH 
EZEK/EL 
DANIEL 
NEBUCHADNEZZAR 


V.  The KiNGDOM-IIOO-SS? B.C-TheNaTION BECOMES AKiNGOOH 

'  United uND^R Saul  -Dahio-Solpmon 

DlYIDEO  975 8C 
JUOAH  '■        ^^ 


T5RAEL 
Jeroboam     Ei/jAff 

AHAB  El /SNA 

JEROBOAM  IT.  JO  NAN 

flSRAEL  TAKEN  1      'd^'X 

\f.APTiv£pa.  xc.)    flOSEA 


IV  THEJUDGE$-lt(00-J/OOB.C-FROMOTHNIEL  TOFlRSlKlHG 
REMEMBER 


DELIVERANCE  THRff.dEBORAH 

G/DEON'SARMY      \ANOBARAK 

STORYOFRUTH 

STORY  OF  SAMSOft 

SAMUEL  AND  El  f 

SA MUEL.  LAST  JUDGE 


Othniel,f/rst AND  Samuel, 
DEBORAH        {last Judge 

CIDEOA/ 
SAMSON 
RUTH 
ELI 


m.  THEWANOEH/NGS-fSOO-moaC-THE EXODUS  TO  THE  JUDGES 
C  THE  FAMILY  BECOMES  A  NATION) 
REMEMBER 

th'ePassover 

The  EXODUS  MOSES 

GIY/NC  C0MMANDNENT3 

The  TABERNACLE 

DEA  TH  OF  MOSES  ^ 

ENTRANCE  AND  Conquest  OF  Land  OF  Canaan 


AARON 
JC'- 


VSlWA 

Caleb 


H.  THECHOSENfAM/LY'200O-/5OOaC-CALL  OF/^BRAMTOTHE tXODUS 

REMEMBER 
QALLOFABRAM 


LIFE  IN  Canaan 

Joseph  sold  into  Egypt 

Birth  OF  MOSES 

Moses"  CONFLICT  with  Pharaoh 


ABRAHAM 
LOT 
/SAAC 


JACOB 
JOSEPH 
MOSES 


J.  The  Beginnings 'BEFORE  20ooac-  The  Creation  to  Cau  of Abrani 


REMEMBER 
The  Crea  noN  ada/^ 

The  Fall 

THEFLOOD 

ABRAM'S  earl  YlJFE 


da  m  and  Eye       Enoch 
ca  in  and  a  bel       noah 
Methuselah         abram 


ii6 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

This  chart  is  printed  on  white  cardboard,  with  a 
bright  red-letter  outline  for  the  important  events.^  The 
author  of  this  chart,  Miss  Frances  S.  Walkley,  expresses 
the  belief  that  its  need  is  seen  in  that  one  finds  by  a  little 
examination  that  though  most  of  our  young  people  have 
been  in  Sunday-school  all  their  lives,  they  have  little 
knowledge  of  the  Bible  in  any  unified  way.  Isolated 
events  they  know,  but  often  without  time,  place  or  sur- 
roundings. Our  Bible-school  teaching  has  concerned 
itself  largely  with  details.  It  needs  next  to  group  the 
detached  facts  into  great  periods,  centring,  as  they  usu- 
ally do,  around  some  single  event,  to  show  the  progression 
of  thought  and  life  running  through  all  the  periods 
toward  a  higher  ideal  of  God  until  the  culmination  is 
reached  in  the  lives  of  Christ  and  His  apostles.  It  needs, 
then,  by  much  drill  to  fix  these  groupings  in  the  minds 
of  the  children  so  that  in  after  life  each  event  will  nat- 
urally be  thought  of  in  its  proper  setting.  Only  by  such 
means  can  any  history  be  really  understood. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  School,  Philadelphia, 
prints  ^'Supplemental  Work"  cards,  the  Topics  and 
Golden  Texts  of  the  lessons  appearing  on  one  side 
of  the  card,  and  on  the  opposite  side  the  supplemental 
work  to  be  done  during  the  quarter,  such  as  the  memoriz- 
ing hymns  of  the  Church  and  certain  portions  of  the 
Scriptures,  also  the  catechism,  etc. 

5.  Map  drawing  is  one  of  the  best  ways  for  making 
real  to  the  boy  and  girl  the  events  of  olden  times.  Give 
them  a  definite  location  and  a  definite  idea  of  that  loca- 
tion, and  the  event  will  live  for  them. 

In  the  Classon  Avenue  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
the  following  are  the  directions  for  filling  in  a  map  of  Pal- 

^  These  charts  may  be  obtained  from  Miss  Frances  Walkley, 
155  Elm  Street,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  5  cents  each;  50  cents  per 
dozen;  $3.50  per  hundred. 

117 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

estine,  with  questions  based  on  the  study  of  the  lesson  for 
the  quarter: 


MAP  OF   PALESTINE. 

The  principal  divisions,  waters,  cities,  etc.,  may  be  marked  on  the 
Outline  Map  by  their  initials,  as  follows; 

Waters.  Cities  and  Towns. 

Mediterranean  Sea MS         Bethlehem B 

Dead  Sea DS        Jerusalem J 

Sea  of  Galilee SG         Nazareth N 

Divisions.  Capernaum C 

Judea J         Gergesa G 

Samaria S         Decapolis •  D 

Galilee G         Caesarea  Philippi CP 

Perea P        Jericho J 

Which  of  the  above  are  mentioned  in  the  lessons  of  the  quarter? 

The  more  advanced  scholars  may  add  the  following : 

Mountains.  Cities  and  Towns. 

Hermon H  Hebron H 

Nebo N  Sychan S 

Lebanon L  Bethel B 

Cai  mel C  Cana C 

Gilboa G  Bethany B 

Gerazim G  Ephraim E 

Ebal E  Tyre T 

Gilead G  Sidon b 


Periods  in  ihe  Life  of  Christ  and  the  Lessons  in  Each: 

I.  Preparation,  Lesson  

IL  Judea,  Lesson   

in.  Eastern  Galilee,         Lessons. 

IV.  Northern  Galilee,      Lessons 

V.  Last  Journeys,  Lessons 

VI.  Last  Passover,  |  The  lessons  of  next  quarter  are  devoted  to  these 

VII.  The  40  Days,    )  two  periods. 


Acrostic. 


1.  A  well-known  city  of  Palestine. 

2.  A  place  where  Jesus  spent  some  time,  once  mentioned  in  the  gospels. 

3.  Three  Books  of  the  Bible. 

4.  A  prophet  who  foretold  Christ's  coming. 

5.  A  village  in  Galilee  where  Christ  wrought  a  miracle. 

6.  A  wicked  King. 

7.  A  Book  of  the  Bible. 

These  seven   initials  give   a   proper  name  mentioned   in  both   last 
quarter's  and  this  quarter's  les=;ons. 


In  this  school  they  draw  also  the  map  of  Jerusalem, 
which  is  more  difficiilt  for  pupils. 

These  outline  class  maps,  giving  merely  the  outlines  of 
countries,  rivers,  lakes,  seas,  etc.,  can  be  purchased  from 

118 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

Sunday-school  supply  publishing  houses.^  The  names  of 
divisions,  cities,  rivers,  lakes,  etc.,  to  be  filled  in  by  pupils, 
and  may  also  be  colored. 

6.  Review  work.  The  important  work  of  review 
requires  painstaking  and  prayerful  preparation.  With 
such  care  the  review  may  prove  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing, as  well  as  one  of  the  most  helpful,  of  all  the  exercises 
of  the  school.  Let  us  never  forget  the  opportunity  in  this 
work  of  clinching  truths,  recalling  half- forgotten  ones, 
and  of  impressing  lessons  that  may  mould  the  years  and 
inspire  one's  whole  life. 

There  are  various  valuable  suggestions  for  this  work. 
In  the  Olivet  Memorial  Sunday-school,  New  York  City, 
the  weekly  blackboard  review  is  a  regular  part — and  a 
very  important  part — of  the  Sunday-school  session.  It 
is  conducted  by  the  superintendent,  and  lasts  about  ten 
minutes.  The  questions  are  not  only  relevant  to  the  sub- 
ject of  the  lesson,  but  are  carefully  kept  within  the  scope 
of  what  has  been  taught ;  thus  in  the  teachers'  preparatory 
class,  in  the  individual  classes  and  in  the  review,  there 
is  an  aim  to  bring  in  the  same  facts  and  truths,  and  thus 
produce  unity  of  impression ;  moreover,  the  review  is  con- 
ducted with  the  purpose  of  drawing  from  the  scholars 
what  they  know,  and  not  of  discouraging  them  over  what 
they  do  not  know;  of  giving  the  scholars  not  a  hazy  no- 
tion of  many  things,  but  a  distinct  and  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  a  few  things;  hence,  the  weekly  review  is  not  a 
review  of  the  individual  lesson,  but  of  the  series  up  to 
the  point  reached  in  the  progressive  study.  Whenever 
possible,  questions  are  put  so  as  to  connect  them  in  the 
order  of  time  or  of  thought,  or  so  as  to  form  a  chain  of 

^The  David  C.  Cook  Publishing  Company,  36  Washington 
Street,  Chicago,  111.,  has  three  kinds:  No.  i,  Palestine;  No.  2, 
The  Journeys  of  St.  Paul ;  No.  3,  Bible  Countries.  Size  of  each, 
10  by  12.  Price :  10  or  more,  i  cent  each ;  50  or  more,  80  cents 
per  hundred,  postpaid. 

119 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

circumstances;  thus,  it  is  made  possible  not  only  for  the 
dullest  scholar  to  remember  but  difficult  for  him  to  for- 
get. In  review  attention  is  first  given  to  the  slowest  and 
most  restless  scholars,  and  when  those  are  led  to  take 
interest  there  is  little  difficulty  with  the  rest.  Here  it  is 
found  best,  as  a  rule,  not  to  ask  review  questions  of  the 
whole  school,  but  to  sections,  to  classes,  and  to  such  in- 
dividuals as  can  be  inspired  to  answer  with  reasonable 
accuracy  and  confidence.  To  draw  word-pictures  re- 
quiring the  school  to  fill  in  the  names  of  places  and 
persons,  or  to  give  circumstances  and  events,  seems  more 
popular  than  any  other  form  of  conducting  the  review, 
says  the  Rev.  William  Denman,  D.D.,  of  this  school. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  successful  ways  that 
have  been  adopted  for  review  Sunday  is  the  use  of  the 
quarterly  or  semi-annual  special  reviews  prepared  by 
John  B.  Smith,  and  published  by  the  Sunday-school 
Times  Company. ^  These  cover  certain  periods  of  the 
International  Lessons. 

In  the  Church  of  the  Strangers,  New  York,  the  quar- 
terly reviews  are  studied  in  the  classes  like  any  other 
lesson,  and  the  children  are  questioned  from  the  platform. 

Written  tests  and  work.  The  written  test  has  proven 
successful.  Where  it  is  used  it  is  usually  made  the  re- 
quirement for  promotion,  and  certificates  are  granted  in 
recognition  of  merit.  Leaflets  bearing  such  review  ques- 
tions can  be  obtained  quarterly  from  many  of  the  Sunday- 
school  supply  publishing  houses.^ 

There  are  various  ways  of  using  the  review  slips. 
Sometimes,  as  in  the  Plymouth  Congregational  School, 
Toledo,  O.,  they  are  given  out  the  preceding  Sunday, 

*  Address,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

^  The  Twentieth  Century  Sunday-school  Bureau,  Paterson, 
N.  J.,  prints  a  list  of  forty  questions  on  the  International  lessons 
of  each  quarter,  with  spaces  for  answers  below.  Price,  50  cents 
per  hundred,  postpaid. 

120 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 


CLASSON   AVENUE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


TEST   QUESTIONS  ON   STUDIES  IN  HISTORY 
OF   THE   PATRIARCHS. 

December  29,  1901. 

1.  Who  was  the  Father  of  the  Jewish  race  ? 

2.  About  how  long  before  Christ  was  he  called  from  Ur  of  the  Chal- 

dees  ? years. 

3.  What  was  the  name  of  Abraham's  wife  ? 

4.  What  were  the  names  of  his  two  sons? and 

5.  Who  was  Isaac's  father?. 

6.  Give  two  cities  in  Southern  Palestine  in  which  Isaac  lived. 

and 

7.  In  what  cave  was  he  buried  ? 

8.  Who  was  given  a  dream  of  a  ladder  reaching  to  heaven? 

9.  Who  was  sold  to  the  Midianites? 

10.  What  son  of  Jacob  rose  to  honor  in  the  court  of  Pharaoh  ? 

11.  About  how  long  before  Christ  did  Moses  live? years. 

12.  To  what  tribe  did  Moses  belong? , 

13.  The  name  of  Moses'  brother? 

14.  The  name  of  Moses'  sister? 

15.  Through  what  sea  did    the    children    of    Israel    pass    on    leaving 

Egypt? 


Class  No Name.. 


taken  home  and  returned  on  Review  Sunday,  filled 
out,  just  as  the  regular  study  slip;  at  other  times  the 
slips  are  held  till  Review  Sunday,  and  then  dis- 
tributed at  the  beginning  of  the  hour;  the  pupils 
bring  pencils,  and  the  numbers  of  the  questions  to  be 
answered  are  indicated  on  the  blackboard,  about  twenty- 
five  out  of  the  forty  given  being  selected.  A  regular 
written  examination  follows,  about  forty  minutes  being 
allowed  for  the  work.  At  the  close  of  one  quarter  in  this 
school  the  slips  were  filled  out  beforehand,  and  the  review 
during  the  lesson  hour  conducted  from  the  desk, 
the  superintendent,  assistant  superintendent  and  pas- 
tor each  taking  part;  for  instance,  one  drilled  the  school 

121 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

on  the  Titles,  another  on  the  Golden  Texts,  another  on 
the  principal  characters  of  the  lessons,  etc.  This  was 
varied  by  songs,  prayers,  etc. 

This  written  test  may  take  the  form  of  written  compo- 
sitions or  word-pictures.  In  the  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school  of  Salt  Lake  City,  at  the  close  of  a  quarter,  when 
the  study  had  been  on  the  life  of  Joseph,  the  pupils  wrote 
compositions  with  Joseph  as  the  subject,  and  prizes  were 
awarded  for  the  most  successful.  The  Classon  Avenue 
vSun day-school,  Brooklyn,  has  a  similar  plan,  and  one  that 
encourages,  attracts  and  "draws  out"  pupils.  In  this 
plan  compositions  are  called  "word-pictures,"  and  pu- 
pils are  requested  to  write  of  some  scene  or  scenes  in 
the  lessons  of  the  quarter, — such  as  has  been,  "Mary  at 
the  Tomb  Weeping,"  "A  Young  Fisherman  in  the  Gali- 
lean Lake,"  etc. 

In  addition  to  offering  rewards  and  certificates  where 
the  system  of  written  examinations  is  new,  it  is  helpful 
at  times  to  place  the  work  of  the  members  of  the  school 
on  exhibition.  This  magnifies  the  importance  of  their 
work  both  in  their  own  view  and  in  that  of  the  older 
members  of  the  church  and  school,  and  so  stimulates  in- 
terest in  many  ways. 

Special  committee.  In  the  First  Presbyterian  School, 
Newport,  R.  I.,  Review  Sundays  have  been  given 
to  the  care  of  a  special  committee,  two  devoted 
competent  women,  who  plan  the  programmes  for  such 
days,  varying  the  exercises  from  quarter  to  quarter,  as- 
signing diflferent  exercises  to  different  classes  and  mem- 
bers of  the  school,  and  at  times  having  two  older  per- 
sons— perhaps  the  pastor,  the  superintendent  or  an  elder 
— speak,  one  drilling  the  school  on  the  essential  facts  of 
the  quarter :  the  places,  the  persons  and  cardinal  truths ; 
the  other  speaker  directing  attention  to  spiritual  lessons 
in  the  studies  of  the  quarter.      This  plan  also  gives  op- 

122 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

portunity  for  musical  features  of  pleasing  and  helpful 
interest  to  the  school. 

The  stereopticon  is  another  aid  in  the  review  of  les- 
sons, being  used  with  great  success.  In  the  First  Con- 
gregational School,  Burlington,  Vt.,  one  quarter,  each 
lesson  was  given  to  a  teacher  and  she  was  asked  to  formu- 
late from  six  to  ten  questions  on  the  lesson  assigned  and 
hand  them  to  the  superintendent,  that  they  might  be 
asked  by  him  during  the  review  time  and  answered  by 
the  teacher.  Each  teacher  was  informed  beforehand  as 
to  the  title  of  the  stereopticon  views  used  to  illustrate  the 
lesson,  and  points  about  the  pictures  were  brought  out 
by  the  questions.  This  plan  resulted  in  an  interesting 
variety  of  questions,  with  the  originality  of  twelve  dif- 
ferent persons  exhibited  in  the  questions  and  answers. 

Those  schools  having  graded  courses  of  study  with  pro- 
gressive work,  like  that  of  the  Bible  Study  Union  Graded 
Lesson  System,^  have  a  special  advantage  at  the  time  of 
review  in  the  "sets"  of  stereopticon  views  which  can  be 
rented  for  a  nominal  sum^ — beautiful  views  of  Bible  his- 
tory and  scenes  in  the  Holy  Land  covering  in  a  general 
way  the  entire  Scripture  study  of  the  quarter. 

The  stereopticon  reviews  are  frequently  open  to  the 
parents  and  friends  of  the  children,  and  at  times  to  oth- 
ers, the  review  programmes  being  arranged  with  the  ob- 
ject of  bringing  the  older  people  into  touch  with  Sunday- 
school  work. 

Special  suggestions.  In  the  First  Presbyterian  Sun- 
day-school of  Peoria,  111.,  part  of  the  time  of  Review  Sun- 
day is  devoted,  as  supplemental  to  the  usual  studies,  to  the 
work  of  the  different  boards  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  in  addi- 

^  Address,  95  South  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 
^Address    John    H.    Thurston,    50    Bromfield    Street,    Boston, 
Mass.,  or  try  any  local  optician. 

123 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

tion  to  the  examination  at  the  end  of  the  year,  has  a  cate- 
chism "spelHng  match,"  conducted  by  the  superintendent, 
for  those  who  are  willing  to  enter  it.  Questions  are  asked 
rapidly  along  the  line  from  pupil  to  pupil ;  any  one  mak- 
ing a  mistake  is  dropped  from  the  contest  until  finally 
only  one  remains,  and  this  successful  one  receives  a  prize. 
7.  Maintaining  continuity  of  work.  That  vacation 
periods,  or  absence  of  pupils  out  of  town,  may  not  result 
in  careless  habits,  such  as  neglect  of  Sunday-school,  Bible 
studies  and  readings,  pupils  may  be  provided  with  sets 
of  special  cards  for  keeping  records  of  their  work  while 
away,  receiving  credit  therefor  the  same  as  when  in  the 
home  school.  The  Classon  Avenue  Sunday-school, 
Brooklyn,  furnishes  outlines,  one  for  each  Sunday  of  the 
vacation  period,  to  all  pupils  going  away.    The  following 


PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
POUGHKEEPSIE,  N.  Y. 

Scholars  who  are  absent  from  Sunday-school,  with  good  excuse,  will 
receive  credit  on  the  records  of  the  school  if  they  learn  the  lessons  at  home, 
and  send  this  paper,  properly  filled  out,  to  the  teacher. 

Date  of  absetice  - 

Why  ivas  I  absent? 

What  -was  the  lesson  about? 

Where  ivas  it  ? 

What  was  the  Golden   Text? 

What  persons  were  mentioned? 

What  places? 

What  ivas  said  about  Jesus  ? 

What  should  everybody  lear7i  frotn  the  lesson  ? 

What  did  I  learn  ? 

{Sign  your  name) 

124 


INTEREST  IN  BIBLE  STUDY 

is   for  the  use  of  pupils   if  absent  at  any  time  of  the 
year. 

Another    simple    and    comprehensive    record    card    of 
special  merit  is  outlined  as  follows  : 


RECORD   OF   HOME   STUDY 
FIRST  CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

Burlington,  Vermont                                  [over] 

Week  Beginning 

Subject  of  Lesson  Studied 

Lesson  Scripture 

This  certifies  that  I  have  devoted  at  least  one  half  hour  a  v/eek  to  the 
study  of  the  Sunday-school  lessons  in  accordance  with  above  report. 

Signed 

[Reverse  side.] 

VISITING  RECORD  CARD  OF 

FIRST  CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

Burlington,  Vermont 

This  card,  properly  filled  out,  certifies  that 

is  a  member  of  this  school,  and  is  entitled  to  credit   of   attendance  for 
having  visited  the  following  Schools 

Supt.        [over] 

Date 

Name  of  School 

Town  or  City  &  State 

Signature  of  Supt. 

125 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  Central  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Auburn, 
N.  Y.,  where  the  Bible  Union  Study  Courses,  which  are 
not  dated,  are  used,  is  able  to  hold  the  interest  in  a  con- 
nected course  by  the  fact  that  scholars  out  of  town  for 
the  summer  do  not  lose  the  continuity  of  the  course ;  the 
Sundays  of  July  being  regarded  as  special  days,  while 
August  is  vacation  for  the  school. 

8.  The  Church  of  the  Strangers  Bible-school,  New 
York,  makes  it  a  point  to  keep  its  work,  and  the  im- 
portance of  it,  constantly  before  the  members  of  the 
school,  and  therefore  asks  them  the  following  questions, 
which  are  answered  by  rising : 

How  many  have  read  the  Bible  every  day? 

How  many  have  brought  their  Bibles  with  them? 

How  many  have  brought  their  lesson  books  with  them? 

How  many  have  asked  some  friend  to  come? 

How  many  classes  are  perfect  in  attendance? 

9.  The  success  of  using  day-school  methods  in  the 
Sunday-school  is  illustrated  in  the  Chinese  Department 
of  the  Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  where  in 
place  of  the  old  method,  using  the  alphabet  for  a  start, 
the  superintendent  of  the  department,  who  is  a  kinder- 
garten teacher  in  the  city,  Miss  Grace  M.  Barker,  uses 
Ward's  Phonetic  System,  the  same  as  is  used  in  the  Brook- 
lyn public  schools.  "Her  success  has  been  quite  wonder- 
ful," writes  Rev.  W.  I.  Southerton,  *'as  their  pronuncia- 
tion, which  is  very  hard  for  a  Chinaman,  is  quite  perfect. 
She  has  often  been  commended  by  visitors  for  her  suc- 
cess. This  is  also  carried  into  the  Bible  work,  and  makes 
it  so  much  easier.  The  evangelistic  work  is  constantly 
in  progress.     We  have  baptized  nine  at  one  time." 


126 


CHAPTER  IX 

WAYS    OF    SECURING    REGULAR    AND    PUNCTUAL    ATTEND- 
ANCE   AND    PERFECT    RECORDS 

I.  Punctual  and  regular  attendance  are  of  first  essentials 
in  a  successful  school.  How  can  such  attendance  be  ob- 
tained? An  atmosphere  of  quiet  regularity  and  prompt- 
ness, a  school  where  at  once  there  is  life  and  order,  the 
work  and  exercises  invariably  on  time  and  without 
hurry, — this  unconsciously  impresses  and  appeals  to  mem- 
bers of  a  school,  inspires  them  to  live  up  to  the 
high  standard  set  before  them,  and  arouses  zealous  con- 
cern for  the  school's  good  name.  In  the  Olivet  Memorial 
Sunday-school,  New  York,  the  scholars  are  encouraged 
to  come  from  fifteen  minutes  to  half  an  hour  before  school 
opens.  During  this  time,  while  all  boisterousness  and  un- 
due noise  are  checked,  freedom  of  movement  and  conver- 
sation are  allowed.  The  superintendent  is  present  before 
the  opening  of  the  doors  to  receive  early  scholars,  and  a 
majority  of  the  teachers  find  it  pleasant  and  profitable 
to  meet  their  pupils  socially  more  or  less  early.  Up  to 
the  time  the  school  opens  a  large  card  is  put  on  each 
door  through  which  the  scholars  enter  bearing  these 
words : 

I   AM    EARLY. 

Immediately  the  moment  of  opening  has  passed  this 
card  is  removed  and  replaced  by  another,  which  reads : 

I    AM    LATE. 

In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Boston, 

127 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Mass.,  promptness  is  stimulated  by  closing  the  doors  ex- 
actly on  the  minute  announced  for  beginning  the  sessions. 
All  who  come  after  that  moment  are  late. 

With  a  holy,  orderly,  religious  atmosphere  which 
draws,  but  does  not  repel,  a  school  is  ready  for  various 
plans  which  can  be  used  to  strengthen  and  encourage  the 
habit  of  regular  and  punctual  attendance. 

2.  The  influence  of  the  home  upon  pupils  is  of  urgent 
consideration.  Olivet  Sunday-school,  New  York,  obli- 
gates parents  to  aid  children  in  Sunday-school  attend- 
ance and  requirements : 

To  be  Taken  Home,  and  Read  Carefully  by  Parents. 


OLIVET  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

Second  Street,  New  York, 
Between  First  and  Second  Avenues. 

To  Parents : 

The  bearer  has  applied  for  admission  to  our  Sunday- 
school,  and  if  the  application  is  in  accordance  with  your 
wishes,  please  do  us  the  favor  to  fill  up  and  sign  the  blank 
on  the  reverse  of  this  card,  that  we  may  from  it  make  our 
Sunday-school  record. 

The  object  of  Olivet  Sunday-school  is  to  teach  the 
Word  of  God,  to  bring  souls  to  Christ,  to  watch  over 
them,  and  to  instruct  them  in  the  practical  virtues  of 
Christian  character.  The  children  attending  this  school 
will  also  receive  training  in  punctual  habits  and  orderly 
behavior,  and  will  have  an  opportunity  for  acquiring 
much  useful  knowledge. 

The  aid  of  parents  is  earnestly  asked  in  securing  to 
the  children  attending  Olivet  School  a  full  share  of  its 
benefits,  which  can  only  be  attained  by  entire  compliance 
with  its  rules.  All  who  attend  the  school  must  be  clean 
in  person  and  dress.  Punctuality  is  required.  If  a 
scholar  is  absent  four  consecutive  Sundays  without  satis- 

128 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

factory  written  excuse,  the  name  is  dropped  from  the 
roll.  Rewards  are  given  for  punctual  attendance,  cor- 
rect recitations  and  good  behavior.  Each  scholar  should 
be  present  by  2.15  p.m.  every  Sunday. 

Be  assured,  dear  friend,  if  you  see  fit  to  commit  your 
child  to  our  care,  we  shall  seek,  by  the  gracious  help  of 
Jesus,  to  do  what  good  we  can,  and  will  gladly  welcome 
you  also  as  a  member  or  visitor  at  our  school  sessions  on 
Sunday  afternoons. 

Your  friend. 

WM.    DENMAN, 

Pastor  and  Superintendent. 


Reads. 
Entered Cannot  Read. 

Promoted  to. , 

Remarks  


CERTIFICATE  OF   PARENTS. 

To  be  signed  in  Ink  by  the  Parents  and  Returned  by  the  Scholar. 


We^  the  parents  of  {here  write  child'' s  name  infull\ 
,  born 

apply  for  the  admission  0/  our  child,  aged years., 

into  Olivet  Sunday-school,  and  agree  to  use  our  best  efforts  to  encourage 

the  child  in  regular  attendance  and  full  compliance  with  the  rules  of 

the  school. 
Father 

Mother 

Residence. Street 

.Floor,  No. Date 

Parentis  occupation 

The  child  had  previously  attended  {or  now  attends)  Sunday-school 

at  No - Street 

Denomination,  — 

Other  members  of  the  family  in  Olivet  Sunday-school., 


Parents  attend  church  at _ 


The  doors  of  Olivet  Sunday-school  are  not  thrown  open 

129 


MODERN    METHODS    IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 

to  any  who  wish  to  attend,  but  to  those,  and  those  only, 
whose  parents  or  guardians  sign  the  preceding  certificate 
to  assist  the  officers  and  teachers  in  their  endeavors  for  the 
child's  best  interests.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the 
teacher's  authority  is  much  more  potent  plus  the  backing 
of  parents  or  guardian  than  minus  such  backing.  It  has 
been  found  that  parents  seldom  fail  to  live  up  to  their  own 
agreement. 

On  the  return  of  the  certificate  one  of  the  missionaries 
of  the  school  visits  the  home  to  talk  more  fully  over  the 
interests  of  the  child.  Not  until  the  missionary  has  made 
her  report  is  decision  formed  as  to  the  child's  admit- 
tance. 

The  very  successful  Park  Church  School,  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  has  the  following  stringent  rule :  'Tor  absence  for 
three  consecutive  Sundays  without  sending  word  the  pu- 
pil is  dropped  from  the  membership  roll  of  the  school. 
Such  pupil  may  be  restored  in  place  and  standing  by  mak- 
ing up  past  lessons  and  reciting  them  and  bringing  gifts." 

The  co-operation  of  parents  may  be  enlisted  further  by 
keeping  in  touch  with  them  through  invitations  to  school 
exercises  and  reports  of  the  progress  of  scholars,  espe- 
cially giving  intimation  of  honors  won  by  them. 


Philadelphia^  October  2,  igo). 
The  pleasure  of  your  company  is  cordially  requested 
on    Sunday  morning,    October    iith,    at  quarter   before 
eleven  (10.4^),  at  the  old  Bethany  Presbyterian   Church, 

to  participate  in  the  interesti7tg  occasion  of  your 

receiving  the  honors  to  which is  etititled. 

Very  sincerely  the  frie7id  of  your  child  and 
Your  friend, 

J  NO.   WANAMAKER, 

Superinte  ndent. 


^Wording  of  a  mimeograph  letter. 
130 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

Another  successful  plan  is  the  issuing  of  quarterly  re- 
ports to  parents, 


JAMES  LEES    MEMORIAL  PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Frankfort  Ave.  and  William  St.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

MONTHLY  REPORT   FOR 

We  send  you  hereon  report  of- 

for We  ask  your  earnest  co- 
operation in  securing  the  best  possible  -work  from  all  our 
people. 

Date 

Attend- 
ance 

On  Time 

Lesson 
Studied 

Attended 
Church 

Bible 
Brought 

Offering 
Brought 

$ 

Total 

$ 

Those  who  meet  the  six  requirements  will  be  called  "perfect  pupils" 
and  their  names  published  each  month  in  The  Messenf^er. 

HENRY  H.  SWEETS,  SuJ>erintendent. 

Teacher. 

shov^ring  the  attendance  of  pupils,  whether  early  or  late, 
lessons  learned,  church  attendance,  and  whether  a  contri- 
bution was  brought  each  Sunday. 

Personal  remembrance  of  the  birthdays  of  pupils 
through  cards  or  letters, — not  only  in  the  Primary  De- 
partment but  also  in  the  older  grades  of  the  school, — is 
deeply  appreciated,  and  gives  a  new  grip  on  the  affections 
and  loyalty  of  scholars.  No  other  one  thing  affords  larger 
opportunity  of  pleasing  scholars  and  parents,  and  of 
reaching  their  hearts.  We  all  appreciate  a  letter — of  the 
right  sort !  And  a  letter  from  teachers  and  other  Chris- 
tian workers  is  valued  for  the  interest,  sympathy  and 
thoughtful  remembrance  of  which  it  speaks.  Such  let- 
ters, too,  open  the  way  for  the  personal  word  of  spirit- 
ual helpfulness,  and  I  can  bear  witness  through  experi- 

131 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ence,  as  well  as  through  testimony  of  others,  that  pro- 
found impressions  and  lasting  good  result  from  this  sim- 
ple method,  which  is  within  the  reach  of  all.  Letters  to 
"little  ones"  can  be  made  the  more  attractive  by  selecting 
comic  pictures  from  magazines,  drawing  the  outline  of  a 
picture  in  the  letter  by  tracing  with  carbon  paper,  and  then 
filling  in  the  picture.  For  example,  a  picture  of  a  boy 
looking  at  a  billboard,  with  a  teacher's  letter  on  the  bill- 
board. Mr.  William  D.  Murray  is  successful  with  this 
plan  in  his  large  work  in  the  Crescent  Avenue  Presby- 
terian Sunday-school,  Plainfield,  N.  J.  In  the  Trinity 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Sunday-school,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  a 
birthday  box  and  a  card  are  mailed  to  each  scholar  so  that 
they  are  received  on  the  anniversary.  Pupils  place  a  penny 
for  each  year  of  their  age  in  the  birthday  box,  which  is 
returned  to  the  school. 

3.  Encouragement  of  pupils  through  faithful  sys- 
tems of  records.  For  such  records  the  teacher's  week- 
ly report  of  absent  scholars  is  a  necessity.  The  fact  that 
pupils  are  looked  up  stays  many  from  unnecessary 
absence,  as  it  cheers  and  encourages  those  who  are  un- 
avoidably kept  away.  The  maintaining  of  exact  weekly 
records  is  stimulating  to  a  school.  The  Park  Church,  El- 
mira,  N.  Y.,  keeps  the  record  of  the  standing  of  each  pu- 
pil in  bound  volumes.  Gray-haired  men  and  women  can 
consult  the  library  and  see  to-day  what  their  record  was 
thirty  years  ago.  Some  schools  use  record  cards,  which 
the  pupils  may  take  home  at  the  end  of  six  months  or  the 
year  for  preserving  their  own  records  of  their  attend- 
ance. 

Absent  record  cards  are  now  an  essential.  These  en- 
able pupils  temporarily  away  from  home  to  receive  credit 
for  attendance,  thus  keeping  up  the  general  average  of 
the  home  class  and  making  it  a  customary  duty  to  attend 
Sunday-school. 

132 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 


[Reverse  side.] 

THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  OF  THE  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH, 
Washington,  D.  C, 

requests  that  attendance  of  the  bearer  be  marked  as  indicated  beloiv  : 

Date 

1900 

Name  of  School 

Place 

Signature  of 
Superintendent  or  Teachei 

S.S. 

S.S. 

S.S. 

S.  S. 

S.S. 

S.S. 

S.S. 

S.S. 

S.S. 

s.  s. 

S.S. 

S.S. 

Issued  to                    ..       .          ,  Class  No.                ,  who 

will  please  hand  card  to  the  Secretary  upon  returning  to  the  City.     The 
Secretary  will  mark  attendance  upon  class  book  as  indicated  herein. 

Absent  record  cards  sometimes  require  a  record  of  study 
during  the  absence  of  a  pupil. ^ 

4.  There  are  simple  aids  for  encouraging  attendance 
that  are  at  once  harmless  and  helpful,  fresh  and  inspir- 
ing, keeping  the  school  alert  and  with  a  deepening  and 
growing  interest.  I  now  desire  to  mention  some  of  these 
aids  that  have  been  tried  and  tested  and  found  of  large 
value.  It  will  be  seen  that  there  are  many;  this  is  well, 
for  it  is  helpful  to  vary  plans  in  the  course  of  time  for 
the  sake  of  variety.  Some  of  these  plans  go  hand-in- 
hand  and  can  be  used  at  the  same  time,  or  one  or  all  can 
be  suspended  at  any  time. 

^A  similar  card,  bearing  explicit  directions,  can  be  obtained 
of  the  Toledo  Sunday-school  Supply  Company,  Toledo,  Ohio,  at 
40  cents  per  hundred  postpaid. 

^  See  Chapter  VIII.  on  Ways  of  Awakening  Interest  in  Bible 
.  Study. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

One  of  the  best  aids  in  securing  regular  attendance, 
judging  by  its  fruits,  is  that  of  the  Brownell  Street  Bap- 
tist School,  Fall  River,  Mass.  This  is  the  plan :  A  small 
rod  standing  through  the  end  of  the  class  settee,  reach- 
ing from  the  floor  to  about  five  feet  in  height,  is  shaped 
at  the  top  like  a  hook.  On  this  hook  a  maltese  cross  is 
hung  during  the  session  if  the  whole  class,  including 
the  teacher,  is  in  attendance;  a  star  is  hung  if  the  whole 
class  is  present  and  the  teacher  absent.  In  the  vestibule 
of  the  church  is  hung  a  frame  containing  a  large  card- 
board upon  which  are  written  the  names  or  numbers  of 
the  classes  in  their  order.  Opposite  each  class  for  each 
Sunday  is  pasted  a  star — red  for  full  attendance,  gold  for 
class  attendance.  This  makes  a  strong  impression  on  a 
class,  as  each  week  they  compare  at  a  glance  the  attend- 
ance of  their  class  with  that  of  others.  The  class  hav- 
ing the  most  stars  for  the  quarter  is  awarded  a  banner 
for  the  ensuing  quarter.  If  two  or  more  classes  are 
tied,  then  each  class  has  a  banner.  The  chart,  a  copy  of 
which  appears  on  the  following  page,  represents  a  slight 
modification  of  the  above  plan,  the  chart  (hand-made) 
being  framed  and  appearing  in  the  main  room  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Newport,  R.  I.  This  chart 
is  made  of  plain  cardboard,  size  29  by  22  inches. 

The  plan  of  the  Brownell  Street  Baptist  School  also  in- 
cludes a  Roll  of  Honor,  printed  at  the  close  of  every  quar- 
ter in  large  black  type,  bearing  the  names  of  all  those  at- 
taining a  certain  percentage  of  attendance  during  the 
quarter.  This  Roll  of  Honor  is  hung  up  in  the  different 
rooms  and  departments  for  the  ensuing  three  months.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  a  larger  Roll  of  Honor,  in  the  form  of 
a  large  card  bulletin,  bearing  the  names  of  those  in  full 
attendance  during  the  year,  is  printed  and  left  hanging 
for  the  full  ensuing  year.  The  names  of  officers  and 
teachers,   as  well  as   scholars,   appear,   when  their  per- 

134 


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- 

- 

- 

- 

1 

1 

1 

,    1 

?n 

- 

J 

! 

- 

- 

- 

- 

1 

L 

1 
— I 

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WAYS    OF    SECURING    REGULAR    AND    PUNCTUAL    ATTENDANCE,    AND 
PERFECT  records/' 


135 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

centages  so  entitle  them,  upon  this  roll  of  honor.     The 
superintendent,  Mr.  J.  Clarence  Read,  attributes  his  suc- 


cessful school  to  the  effects  of  this  plan  more  than  to 
anything-  else,  saying:  'Tt  is  interesting  to  see  the  chil- 
dren point  to  their  names  in  print;  and  often  another 

136 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

child  has  said,  1  will  have  my  name  there  next  time.' 
Older  persons,  too,  like  to  see  their  names  in  print." 

For  faithful  yearly  attendance  there  is  also  a  Roll  of 
Honor  Diploma,  as  outlined  on  the  preceding  page. 
This  diploma  stands  for  one  year,  each  additional  year 
being  represented  by  a  gold  star;  that  is  to  say,  this 
diploma  with  three  gold  stars  upon  it  stands  for  four 
years'  work.  These  diplomas  are  carried  home  by  the 
pupils,  and  many  of  them  are  found  framed  in  their  homes, 
an  incentive  for  others,  as  well  as  an  eye  object  of  the 
work  of  the  school. 

A  Roll  of  Honor  meriting  special  commendation  is 
published  by  J.  S.  Eberhart  and  Son,  Chicago.^  For  sim- 
plicity, compactness  and  attractiveness  this  will  ever  hold 
place,  if  not  the  first  place,  among  the  best  of  awards,  and 
of  successful  methods  of  honorable  mention  for  faithful 
attendance.  This  Roll  of  Honor  is  24  by  38  inches  in  size, 
and  is  printed  in  colors.  It  has  spaces  for  two  hundred 
names,  with  four  squares  opposite  each  name,  in  which  are 
shown  the  faithful  attendance  of  each  one  enrolled  for  a 
period  of  four  years.  At  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  (of 
the  first  year)  the  names  are  entered  of  all  those  who  have 
not  missed  a  single  Sunday,  unless  excused  for  sufficient 
cause,  and  opposite  each  name  (in  square  "i")  is  placed 
a  red  seal,  and  to  the  scholar  is  given  a  red  badge.  At 
the  end  of  the  next  quarter,  opposite  the  names  of  those 
who  are  on  the  roll  who  have  not  missed,  a  white  seal 
is  placed  on  the  red  and  a  white  badge  is  given  to  wear, 
while  the  names  of  others  who  have  not  missed  are  placed 
on  the  roll  and  have  a  red  seal  and  badge.  At  the  end  of 
the  next  quarter,  those  who  have  red  and  white  and  have 
not  missed  will  get  the  blue  seal,  which  is  in  the  shape 
of  a  star,  on  the  white,  and  a  blue  badge  to  wear.     At 

'Address,    107   Dearborn    Street,    Chicago,    111.,    or   384   Good 
Block,   Des   Moines,   la. 


138 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

the  end  of  the  next  quarter  the  first  ones  on  the  roll,  if 
they  have  not  missed,  will  complete  the  first  year,  and  the 
first  star  in  the  first  square  with  the  iron  seal,  and  receive 
the  first  annual  badge  and  all  others  in  the  same  order. 
The  roll  may  be  introduced  into  a  school  with  any  quarter 
of  the  year.  The  roll  becomes  more  beautiful  as  names  and 
different  colored  seals  and  stars  are  added  each  quarter. 
This,  together  with  the  badges  in  the  national  colors,  red, 
white  and  blue  to  represent  the  quarters,  and  of  iron, 
copper,  silver  and  gold  to  represent  the  years,  strongly 
appeals  to  teachers  and  scholars,  and  solves  the  problem 
of  "faithful  attendance"  for  many  a  school.  Some  schools 
by  means  of  this  plan  have  doubled  their  regular  attend- 
ance. I  know  of  this  plan  by  actual  use,  and  I  believe 
it  impossible  for  a  school  to  use  this  Roll  of  Honor  with- 
out largely  increasing  its  membership,  and  without  awak- 
ening an  interest  that  will  continue  and  grow  with  the 
growing  years. 

For  those  pupils  who  have  covered  the  four  years'  at- 
tendance represented  by  this  Roll  of  Honor,  Eberhart 
and  Son  suggest  a  Post-Graduate  Course,  through  placing 
the  names  upon  the  roll  a  second  time,  but  now  printed  in 
gold  letters,  attendance  being  indicated  by  other  sets  of 
seals  which  they  have  prepared.  This  plan  also  includes 
giving  a  gold  pin  badge  to  all  who  complete  the  course. 

Another  successful  Honor  Roll  is  that  of  the  Christ 
Congregational  Church,  New  York  City,  where  attend- 
ance is  rewarded  at  the  end  of  quarters  (not  necessarily 
consecutively)  by  badges,  pins,  etc.,  as  here  indicated : 

1st    quarter  Red  bow. 

2d  "  White  bow. 

3d  "  Blue  bow. 

4th        "  (First  year) Bronze  pin. 

5th         "  Red  bow. 

6th        "  White  bow. 

139 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


7th  quarter  Blue  bow. 

8th        "         (Second  year)    Silver  pin. 

9th        "         -. .  Red  bow. 

loth        "         White  bow. 

nth        "         Blue  bow. 

I2th        "         (Third  year)    Gold  pin. 

13th        "         Red  bow. 

14th        "         White  bow. 

15th        "         Blue  bow. 

i6th        "         (Fourth  year). Special    award,    not   to   cost 

over  two  dollars. 

17th        "         Red  bow. 

i8th        "         White  bow. 

19th        "         Blue  bow. 

20th        "         (Fifth  year) .  .A  red,  white  and  blue  badge, 

about  25^  inches  long  by 
I  inch  wide,  stamped  in 
gold  letters: 


5 
th 

Y 

E 
A 
R 


This  system  is  carried  on  with  a  similar  series  of  quar- 
terly ribbons  and  a  combination  badge,  gold  stamped,  for 
each  year — sixth,  seventh,  eighth,  etc. 

140 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

The  St.  Andrew's  Presbyterian  Bible-school  of  Wil- 
mington, N.  C,  has  a  telling  method,  and  one  that  is 
within  the  reach  of  all.  In  this  school  the  names  of 
teachers,  with  their  class  numbers,  are  always  on  the 
blackboard,  and  each  Sabbath  the  figures  opposite  the 
names  show  how  many  members  of  the  classes  are  ab- 
sent. The  absentees  are  visited  by  the  teachers  or  a 
"committee  of  the  class,"  and  if  needful  by  the  superin- 
tendent and  pastor.  The  Jefferson  Avenue  Methodist 
Episcopal  School,  Saginaw,  Mich.,  marks  on  a  black- 
board in  the  front  of  the  room  the  attendance  and  collec- 
tion for  the  previous  Sunday,  as  well  as  for  the  present 
Sunday.  The  Prospect  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  stimulates  regular  attendance  by 
placing  in  a  large  frame  on  the  wall  near  the  superin- 
tendent's desk  the  name  of  the  class  having  the  best  aver- 
age attendance  for  the  month. 

A  ''Profile  Record"  ^  is  another  helpful  way  of  encour- 
aging attendance.  The  First  Westminster  Presbyterian 
School,  Keokuk,  la.,  uses  a  scarlet  thread  and  tacks  to 
mark  the  fluctuations.  A  neat  profile  chart,  so  simple 
that  a  child  can  use  it,  representing  the  fifty-two  Sab- 
baths of  the  year,  is  published  by  the  Profile  Record  Pub- 
lishing Company,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.^ 

In  the  Nostrand  Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday- 
school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  the  names  of  those  classes  hav- 
ing a  full  attendance  are  called  out  by  the  secretary  every 
week,  when  the  classes  rise  in  their  places. 

The  Second  Presbyterian  School,  Columbia,  S.  C,  has 
received  good  results  from  reading  out  on  the  first  Sunday 
of  every  month 

The  average  attendance  by  classes. 
The  average  collection  by  classes. 
The  total  collection  by  classes. 

^  See  Chapter  XIV.,  on  Offerings. 

^Address   513-514  Dillaye   Memorial   Building. 
141 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


By   this   simple   method   the   school   has   increased   its 
average  attendance  of  from  fifty  to  sixty  per  cent,  to  be- 

(For  explanation  of  card  see   following  page.) 


C^       8 


0t. 


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fSf 


g:j 


tB 


'*l...i^i  '■r''-%^^r.  ?,>'^^t^^'^.r^^£  M^^^!:2^->i:f^,^WM'&^yM$/i'^  XV""-  '^z^!i;^y'^.S^$^l.?^ 


tween  70%  and  80%,  and  the  average  collection 
from  between  one  and  a  half  to  two  cents  to  between  five 
and  six  cents  per  scholar  a  Sunday. 

142 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

A  certificate,  such  as  appears  on  the  preceding  page,  for 
regular  and  punctual  attendance,  with  honorable  mention 
before  the  school,  is  the  plan  of  the  North  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Camden,  N.  J.  This  certificate  is  lettered  in  gold, 
blue  and  red,  and  bears  a  gold  seal  with  the  initials  of  the 
school  stamped  in  blue,  white  and  gray.  It  is  a  pretty  card 
and  one  which  any  child,  or  even  grown  person,  would  be 
glad  to  receive  as  credit  for  faithful  attendance. 

The  Park  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Plainfield, 
N.  J.,  gives  tickets  to  all  scholars  who  are  in  the  room 
before  the  session  is  called  to  order. 


PARK  AVENUE  BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
PLAINFIELD,  N.  J. 


This  ticket  is  given  for  -punctual  attendance. 
Thirty  of  them  rvill  be  redeemed  by  the  Secre- 
tary   of  the    School   ivith    a    suitable    reivard. 


No.  46.  T.  A.  Cuming,  Secretary. 


The  reward  usually  given  is  an  English  Bible  with 
leather  cover,  or  a  book. 

In  the  Willoughby  Avenue  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  red  and  green  stars  or  wafers 
are  used  to  indicate  the  rank  of  the  scholar.  Red  is  for 
all  who  are  present  and  early  every  Sunday  each  month. 
Green  wafers  or  stars  for  the  scholars  who  have  prepared 
the  lesson  each  Sunday  before  coming  to  the  class.  The 
wafers  are  pasted  on  the  rolls  each  month  opposite  the 
names  of  the  scholars  entitled  to  the  honors.  The  rolls 
are  large  sheets  of  white  paper  ruled  by  hand  in  columns 
and  horizontal  lines.  The  sheets  are  about  two  by  three 
feet,  are  in  movable  frames  under  glass,  and  hang  in  the 
vestibule. 

Faithful  attendance  is  also  encouraged  through  the  "In- 

143 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

dividual  Record"  plan.  At  the  end  of  each  quarter  the 
names  of  all  pupils  who  have  a  grade  of  ioo%  are  placed 
upon  the  Roll  of  Honor,  which  is  hung  upon  the  wall. 


COVENANT  CONGREGATIONAL  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 
Chicago,  III. 


Class  JVo.. 
Teacher   - 


INDIVIDUAL  RECORD. 

Sunday  ^ 1901 


Scholar's  Name. 
Attendance.        .         .         . 


Bible,      . 
Collection, 
TotaL 


JVo.  of  new  scholars  secured, 

Place  number  of  new  scholars  secured  on  line  above. 


Note. — If  present  at  opening  of  school,  mark  opposite  _"  Attendance  " 
80.  If  present,  but  late,  mark  same  70.  If  an  offering  is  given,  mark 
opposite  "Collection"  10.  If  Bible  is  brought,  mark  opposite  same  10. 
Thus  the  total  of  100  is  possible,  and  expected  each  Sunday. 

Be  prepared  to  hand  this  record  to  the  Class  Secretary  immediately  at 
close  of  opening  exercises,  so  that  no  time  be  lost  to  the  lesson. 
Rev.  C.  E.  Morse,  Pastor.  E,  E.  Northwav,  Superintendent. 


The  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  has  a  "Seal  Chart,"  which  is  giving  gratifying  suc- 
cess. Large  seals  are  used  as  credits  for  different  things, 
namely,  green  seals  for  attendance,  pink  for  contribution, 
red  for  bringing  Bibles,  and  blue  for  studying  the  lesson. 
There  is  a  small  square  on  the  chart  opposite  the  name  of 
each  teacher  for  each  Sunday  in  the  year.  This  square 
is  divided  into  four  parts,  each  one  to  hold  a  seal  desig- 
nating the  work  to  be  credited.  If  the  whole  class  is  in 
attendance,  then  one  green  seal  is  affixed;  if  only  four 
scholars  are  present,  then  the  number  "4"  is  placed  in- 
stead of  the  green  seal  in  the  square  for  attendance ;  and 

144 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

so  on  with  those  bringing  contributions,  Bibles  and  study- 
ing the  lesson.  To  illustrate,  say  that  a  class  has  every 
member  present,  all  bring  a  contribution,  six  bring  their 


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Bibles  and  five  have  studied  the  lesson,  a  green  seal  is 
placed  in  the  space  for  attendance,  a  pink  seal  in  the  space 
for  contribution,  the  number  ''6"  in  the  space  for  record- 

145 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ing  the  bringing-  of  Bibles,  and  number  "5"  in  the  space 
for  recording  the  study  of  the  lesson. 

These  charts  are  of  paper,  48  by  64  inches,  and  are 
usually  made  to  last  for  two  months,  when  the  seal  part 
is  cut  out  and  new  paper  inserted.  The  seals  are  put  on 
every  Sabbath  during  the  lesson  period,  so  that  the  chart 
is  hung  up  before  the  school  as  a  part  of  the  closing  exer- 
cises. The  superintendent,  Mr.  Seth  Sears,  who  orig- 
inated this  plan,  writes  that  in  widening  the  chart  some 
three  or  four  times  beyond  the  size  indicated  he  finds  that 
it  becomes  too  bulky  and  unwieldy.  The  value  of  this 
plan  is  that  it  encourages  members  to  attend  regularly,  to 
give  regularly  and  to  study  the  Bible  regularly,  thus  mak- 
ing attendance  and  study  more  interesting  and  helpful  to 
each  class  as  a  whole,  and  raising  the  tone  of  the  whole 
school. 

A  Roll  of  Honor  used  by  the  First  Baptist  School, 
Youngstown,  Ohio,  consists  of  a  chart  made  of 
an  ordinary  window  shade  fastened  to  a  spring  roller, 
that  it  may  be  rolled  up  and  kept  clean  when  not  in  use. 
Classes  are  indicated  by  the  names  of  teachers  stencilled 
upon  the  chart,  and  opposite,  in  each  of  the  four  columns, 
holes  are  perforated  in  order  to  insert  the  little  hooks  to 


ROLL  OF   HONOR. 

Names  of  Teachers 

Perfect 

Attendance 

100^ 

Attendance 

70% 

Perfect 
Offering 

Church 
Attendance 

146 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

which  stars  are  sewed.  Small  stars  with  mucilage  on  the 
under  side  could  be  used,  thereby  doing  away  with  the 
hooks. 

The  first  two  columns  are  for  attendance,  one  for  ioo%, 
meaning  that  every  scholar  is  present  and  that  the  class 
is  entitled  to  a  gold  star;  the  second  indicates  an  attend- 
ance of  70%  or  over,  and  that  the  class  is  entitled  to  a 
silver  star.  The  third  column  is  for  a  perfect  offering, 
meaning  an  offering  from  every  one  present,  and  a  red 
star  is  used.  The  last  column  is  for  church  attendance 
of  the  previous  Sunday,  indicated  by  a  blue  star.  It  is 
to  be  noticed  that  with  this  chart  it  is  not  the  class  con- 
tributing the  most  money  that  receives  the  first  mention, 
but  the  class  in  which  every  member  has  contributed 
something,  if  only  a  penny,  that  is  entitled  to  a  red  star. 
This  chart  is  arranged  by  the  secretary,  and  is  displayed 
before  the  school  through  the  closing  exercises. 

The  Second  Baptist  School,  Holyoke,  Mass.,  makes 
special  effort  to  hold  the  pupils  of  the  Intermediate  De- 
partment, where  there  is  a  "system  of  record  star  classes." 
The  classes  which  have  on  any  particular  Sunday  their 
total  enrolment  present,  and  each  one  with  an  offering, 
no  matter  how  small,  are  credited  with  a  blue  star  upon 
a  chart  of  all  the  classes  arranged  for  the  purpose.  If  each 
scholar  in  the  star  class  has  a  Bible,  the  class  is  given  a 
gold  star  instead  of  a  blue  one.  At  the  close  of  the  quar- 
ter the  class  having  the  largest  number  of  stars  is  credited 
as  the  "Banner  Class,"  and  holds  for  the  next  quarter  a 
very  attractive  banner,  which  is  hung  upon  a  standard 
at  that  particular  class  during  the  Sunday-school  ses- 
sions. 

The  printing  of  names  that  appear  on  the  Roll  of 
Honor  in  the  local  church  paper  makes  live  reading  for 
both  parents  and  teachers,  as  well  as  pupils,  who  have 
pleasure  in  their  perfect  records.      Honor  Roll  names 

147 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

may  be  helpfully  printed  on  the  programmes  for  Chil- 
dren's Day  and  Graduation  Day. 

Special  summer  plans.  To  encourage  regular  at- 
tendance during  summer  months,  the  Walnut  Street  Pres- 
byterian Sunday-school,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  has  made  use 
of  the  following : 


SUMMER  SPECIALTIES 

OF   THE 

WALNUT  STREET   PRESBYTERIAN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

Philadelphia. 


Our    Purpose:     To  do   everything   a  little   better   than    usual,   in    our 
Sunday-school  work,  during  June,  July,  August  and  September. 

The  Committee        will  make  our  Sunday-school  rooms  the  pleasantest 
on  Attractiveness     place   In    West   Philadelphia    during   the    hours    of 
meeting.     Flowers   in   pots   and   vases,   fans  (electric  and   "hand- 
power"),  water  coolers,  awnings  and  other  good  things  will  be  in 
use ;  and  help  from  all  will  be  welcomed. 

The  Committee    will  make  the  singing  worth  coming  to  listen  to  and  to 
on  Music  join  in.     Those  who  play  on  appropriate  instruments 

will  be  welcomed  in   the  orchestra.     The  summer  Sunday-school 

choir  will  lead  the  singing. 

The  Hot  Weather    is  to  be  a  noble  band  made  up  of  those  who  refuse  to 
Spartans  let   summer  get    the   best    of    them.      Membership 

requires  attendance  at  this  Sunday-school  if  in  town,  or  some 
Sunday-school  if  out  of  town.  Excuses  for  illness  will  count  as 
though  present.  If  there  is  no  Sunday-school  available  while  away 
from  home,  thirty  minutes'  study  of  the  lesson  on  Sunday  will  take 
its  place.  The  Daily  Home  Bible  Readings  are  also  to  be  followed. 
Postal  cards  and  Daily  Reading  cards  will  be  supplied  or  sent  by 
mail  to  any  one  at  any  time.  If  desired  by  mail,  address  the 
Superintendent  as  below. 

Letters  from  Teachers    who  are  away,  written  to  their  classes  or  to  the 
and  Officers  school,  will  be  one  of  the  features  of  the  summer. 

Teachers  will  please  be  careful  to  keep  the  Secretary,  Mr.  Wilson 

and  Officers     Streeter,    or    the    Superintendent    informed,    as    far   in 

advance  as  possible,  just  when  they  will  be  away  and  when  they 

will  be  at  home. 

We're  all  in  it:    Every  one  in  the  Sunday-school — scholars,  teachers  and 
officers — are  to  have  a  share  in  these  summer  plans,  especially  in  the 
Spartan  Band.     Be  sure  that  you're  not  left  out. 
Yours  hopefully, 

CHARLES   GALLAUDET   TRUMBULL, 

SziperinteTident^ 
June  i6,  1901.  1031  Walnut  Street. 


Beginning  with  the  first  Sunday  in  July  and  continuing 
through  the  third  sunday  in  september,  the  sunday-school  will 
meet  at  nine-thirty  in  the  morning. 


148 


amMmeSapfist 
'  ^mitii/Moor 


©urtna  tbe  Summer  Season,  1901,  wben  tbeeesston  of 
tbc  Scbool  beaan  at  9.30  o'cloch,  a.  flb.'  xibe  baU 
required  to  catcb  a  flsb  was  promptness. 


* 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  names  of  the  Hot  Weather  Spartans  were  read 
as  a  special  Roll  of  Honor  at  the  Rally  Day  services  in 
October. 

In  the  Park  Avenue  Baptist  School,  Plainfield,  N.  J., 
all  pupils  who  come  early  during  the  summer  months  re- 
ceive a  small  cardboard  fish ;  and  as  many  as  obtain  the 
required  number,  fourteen,  of  these  tokens  receive  a  beau- 
tiful certificate  lettered  as  on  page  149. 

Through  the  left  side  of  this  certificate,  running 
from  the  top,  is  a  beautiful  broad  blue  ribbon,  fastened 
at  the  lower  end  with  a  large  gold  seal.  Those  pupils 
obtaining  less  than  the  required  number  of  fish  tokens, 
but  meriting  honorable  mention,  receive  the  same  certifi- 
cate, except  that  a  red  ribbon  instead  of  a  blue  ribbon  is 
used. 

Some  schools  have  an  "Honor  Day,"  with  a  special 
service  and  a  printed  programme,  which  also  bears  the 
names  of  all  entitled  to  a  place  on  the  Honor  Roll  for  at- 
tendance. Not  a  few  of  such  schools  make  it  a  point 
to  hold  ''Honor  Day"  service  at  the  usual  hour  of  Sab- 
bath morning  worship,  "that  the  Church  may  see  what  is 
being  done  for  the  children." 

Miscellaneous  suggestions.  The  Ruggles  Street  Bap- 
tist School,  Boston,  has  a  number  of  silk  banners  with 
suggestive  Bible  verses  on  them,  which  are  used  for  spe- 
cial occasions ;  sometimes  on  consecutive  Sundays  to  in- 
dicate a  banner  class  in  attendance,  or  giving,  or  anything 
else  that  the  school  may  wish  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
department  to.  Gilt  stars  on  standards  are  placed  for 
similar  purposes.  Both  these  devices  are  omitted  for 
longer  or  shorter  periods,  being  introduced  again  when 
they  would  appear  fresh  and  interesting.  In  some  of  the 
departments  of  this  school  the  numbers  of  the  five  classes 
having  the  highest  average  attendance  are  placed  on  the 
blackboard.  This  inspires  so  much  interest  that  frequently 

150 


CO 
CO 


^i 


>.  ^ 


C3      ^ 


*3     CL)     (i>    "^ 

O     ^     ^    It 

S  CL  a-  O 


i5i 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

there  are  more  than  six  classes  having  ioo%,  and  some 
of  the  time  for  several  Sundays  in  succession. 

Organized  classes.  The  classes  of  a  Sunday-school 
are  frequently  organized  with  president,  vice-president, 
secretary  and  treasurer.  Where  the  classes  are  not  fully 
organized  with  all  the  officers,  there  is  often  a  class  secre- 
tary, or  a  class  treasurer  or  a  class  librarian.  The  card 
on  the  preceding  page  explains  a  system  of  class  secre- 
taries with  honorable  mention  for  efficient  service. 

Here  is  a  suggestion  of  the  work  of  a  class  librarian : 


CLASSON   AVENUE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


Class  Librarian's  Report. 
Class  No 

No.  of  Scholars  in  Class 

No.  of  Bibles 

No.  of  Hymn  Books  in  Good  Condition 

No.  of  Hymn  Books  in  Bad  Condition  .. 

{Signed) 


Librai  ian. 


Dated iqo 


Some  schools  make  use  of  class  colors,  banners,  badges, 
mottoes,  flowers,  names,  etc.  Of  course,  such  things  can 
be  overdone,  but  the  tendency  has  been  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection. Whatever  fosters  esprit  de  corps  should  be  cor- 
dially welcomed. 

In  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  To- 
peka,  Kan.,  each  class  has  a  banner  on  which  is  inscribed 
its  motto.  The  motto  is  selected  by  the  class  from  the 
Bible.  The  superintendent,  Mr.  F.  J.  Thomas,  made 
most  of  these  mottoes  himself,  tracing  the  letters  on  white 
cardboard,  and  then  cutting  them  out  and  pasting  them 
on  dark-brown  or  green  dress  lining  or  cambric,  which 

152 


PUNCTUAL  ATTENDANCE  AND  PERFECT  RECORDS 

can  be  purchased  for  about  five  cents  a  yard.  These 
white  letters  on  a  dark  background  show  up  beautifully 
and  make  a  pleasing  effect.  Each  class  also  has  a  class 
flower.  As  selections  were  made  by  classes  they  were 
requested  to  write  them  on  paper  and  send  them  to  the 
platform,  from  which  they  were  announced  to  the  school, 
creating  great  interest  among  the  scholars.  In  the  North 
Baptist  School,  Camden,  N.  J.,  every  class  has  a  name. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  session  a  banner  at  the 
head  of  the  class  indicates  the  location  of  the  class  for  the 
day.  The  superintendent,  Mr.  F.  W.  Ayer,  says  that 
the  use  of  banners  not  only  adds  to  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  school,  but  greatly  aids  the  superintendent  in  the 
readjustment  of  classes,  which  is  frequently  required  on 
the  occasion  of  special  services.  No  announcement  from 
the  desk  is  then  necessary.  The  changed  location  of  the 
banner  tells  the  whole  story.  The  banners  of  this  school 
have  been  accumulating  through  a  number  of  years,  and 
are  insured  for  $500. 


153 


CHAPTER  X 


WAYS  OF  HOLDING  AND  REGAINING  ABSENT  SCHOLARS 

I.  An  essential  of  a  successful  school  is  stoppage  of  leak- 
age !  A  barrel  of  oil  that  leaks  ever  so  little  soon  wastes 
and  spoils  its  surroundings,  which  is  as  true  of  schools 
and  boys  as  of  oil  and  barrels.  Could  we,  would  we,  as 
Bible-school  workers  hold  on  to  all  whom  we  have  had 
a  hold  of,  the  problem  of  world  evangelism  would  be 
solved.  One  of  our  first  steps,  therefore,  is  to  follow  the 
steps  of  our  first  and  every  absent  scholar.  How  can 
this  be  done  ? 


FIRST   METHODIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Boise,  Idaho. 

DAILY   CLASS   REPORT. 
Fill  Out  One  of  These  Slips  Every  Sunday. 

^  Class  No Absentees,  Sunday i^o 

•E                  Names 

Will  you  visit  or  write 
to  this  scholar  before 
next   Sunday?      An- 
swer "yes"  or  "no  " 

If  neither,  then  give  the 
scholar's  residence 

^ 

S 

u 

CO 

^ 

ra 

CD 

^  Is  your  class  all  present  to-dav  f 

%  Did  you  look  up  last  rveek^s  absentees  f 

z  Report  out  of  tozvn  (O.   T.),  ''left''  or  ''sick''  in  last 

L           column. 

1                                                    Teacher. 

Visit  Your  Absent  Scholars  Before  Next  Sunday  if  Possible. 

154 


HOLDING  AND  REGAINING  ABSENT   SCHOLARS 

2.  The  teacher's  weekly  report  of  absentees  should  be 
an  invariable  part  of  the  teacher's  work. 

Scholars  who  leave  Olivet  Sunday-school,  New  York, 
must  have  good  reason  for  so  doing,  or  they  will  not  find 
it  easy  to  get  away.  It  is  said  of  this  school  that  it  is 
hard  to  enter  and  hard  to  leave.  Any  pupil  who  is  ab- 
sent two  Sundays  without  informing  the  teacher  of  the 
reason  is  visited  by  a  missionary,  and  often  by  the  teacher 
also.  The  following  is  the  form  of  card  in  which  the 
teacher  reports  the  absence  of  a  scholar  to  the  superin- 
tendent : 


OLIVET  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

59  to  63  Second  Street. 


Neiv  Tork, i^o 

Mr.   Win.  Detnnan,  Superintendent. 

Dear  Sir: 

M living  at  No 

is  absent  from  my  class  to-day. 

As  no  exczise  for  absence  has  been  received  by  me,  and 
I  do  not  knotv  the  cause,  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  the 
scholar  visited  by  the  Missionary  Visitor  of  the  school; 
and  if  I  can  possibly  fijid  time,  T  will  endeavor  to  make 
a  personal  visit  myself  during  the  coining  week. 
Tours  truly, 

Teacher. 

Residence. 

N.  B. — When  this  absentee  card  is  filled  out,  please  place  it  on  the 
Superintendent's  desk  at  the  close  of  school.  The  unused  cards  may  be 
kept  inside  the  class  envelope,  or  in  class  book.  [over. 


On  the  back  of  this  card  the  missionary  writes  the  rea- 
son of  the  scholar's  absence;  if  not  satisfactory  the  su- 
perintendent takes  the  matter  up  with  the  scholar,  and  if 
necessary,  with  the  parents  also. 

The  monthly  report  is  consistent  with  the  weekly  re- 

155 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


port,  and  is  especially  helpful  in  being  the  more  compre- 
hensive : 


BETHANY   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Class  No 

Datp. 

ion 

Teacher, 

//  is  the  earnest  desire  of  your   Superintendents  to 
keep   in   touch   -with   every   Scholar.      Will   the    Teacher 
please  assign  the  reasons  for  absence  during  the  month 
of  each  of  the  following  Scholars: 

Names  of  the  Absent 

Address 

Number  of 
Sundays 
Absent 

Reasons 

It  is  important  for  the   Teacher  to  return  this  slip 
through    the    Secretary    not   later   than    next    Sunday, 
190 

Remarks  : 

3.  Miscellaneous  plans.  The  names  of  absentees  may 
be  reported  to  the  pastor  of  the  church,  as  by  the  first  card 
on  the  following  page. 

The  superintendent,  too,  shares  with  the  teacher  the  re- 
sponsibility of  holding  the  scholars,  and  may  notify  the 
teacher  when  the  record  shows  that  pupils  have  been 
absent  for  two  or  more  Sundays  with  no  reason  given  for 
the  absence,  using  the  second  card  on  page  157. 

156 


HOLDING  AND  REGAINING  ABSENT   SCHOLARS 


FOR   THE   PASTOR   OF   THE 

FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH, 

Newport,  R.  I. 


Name 

Address  . 
Remarks 


Times  absent  from  services  of  xvorshif. 

from,  Sunday-school. --- 

Date Teacher 


Class  No. 

PROSPECT    ST.    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Trenton,  N.  J. 


Dear   Teacher: — I  find  upon  examining  your   Class 

Record  Card  that w      absent 

Sunday     during  the  month  of. 

just  passed.  Will  you  kindly  ascertain  the  cause  of  such 
absence  and  report^  if  possible^  next  Sunday^  and  by  so 
doing  oblige  Tour  Superintendent. 


In  the  First  Baptist  Bible  school,  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
the  superintendent  reports  the  names  of  absentees  to 
teachers,  together  with  this  pertinent  remark : 

157 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


It  is  of  VITAL  IMPORTANCE  that  all  those 
who  drop  out  of  the  school  he  looked  up  at  once,  and  as  I 
am  confident  that  you  realize  your  responsibility  and  are 
conscientiously  looking  after  your  class,  in  case  you  kfiow 
of  any  good  reason  ruhy  these  are  absent^  if  you  have 
called  on  or  heard  from  thetn,  or  purpose  to  call,  -will 
you  kindly  notify  me  A  T  ONCE,  and  greatly  oblige, 
Most  sincerely, 

C.   S.  DEARBORN. 


Superintendents  often  supplement  the  work  of  the 
teachers,  either  by  calHng  on  the  absentees  or  by  writing 
personal  letters. 


R.  P.  Hammons,  Pastor.  Horace  E.  Neal,  Supt. 

FIRST  METHODIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 


Boise,  Idaho, i^o 

M. 

My  Dear  Friend: — For  several  Sundays  ive  have 
missed  you  in  your  accustomed  place  in  your  class.  We 
hope  to  have  you  ivith  us  next  Sunday  again,  and  enjoy 
your  hearty  co-operation  and  assistance.  TOU  are  a 
LINK  in  our  chain,  and  your  absence  affects  our  school 
more  than  you  -would  suppose.  It  is  TOUR  school,  MT 
school,  OUR  school,  and  may  2'OU  and  I  do  all  in  our 
power  to  make  it  -what  THE  MASTER  would  have  it 
to  be.  May  HE  guide  us  in  it  all,  to  wise  conclusions. 
"  Come  thou  with  us  and  we  will  do  thee  good.^^ 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

Supt. 

Asst.  Supt. 


In  the  Judson  Memorial  Sunday-school,  New  York,  a 
return  postal  card  is  sent  out  after  an  absence  of  two 
Sundays,  with  this  message  to  the  absentee : 

158 


HOLDING  AND  REGAINING  ABSENT  SCHOLARS 


JUDSON   MEMORIAL   CHURCH, 
New  York. 


190 

Dear  Friend: 

I  have  missed  you  for  the  past Sundays.     I  hope 

you  are  not  ill.      Will  you  please  write  on  the  attached 

card  the  cause  of  your  absence  and  mail  it  to  me  f 

Tour  friend^ 

C.  H.  SEARS. 

_  Note. — All  pupils  absent   for  three  consecutive  Sundays,   without 
satisfactory  excuse,  are  considered  as  visitors.  C.  H.  S. 


The  card  for  return  reads : 


190 

My  Dear  Superintendent : 

I  ant  very  sorry  I  have  been  obliged  to  be  absent  for 
the  past Sundays.     My  absence  was  caused  by 


I  expect  to  be  present 

Tours  sincerely, 
{Sign  here)     


4.  Another  excellent  work,  and  one  consistent  with 
other  plans,  is  the  appointment  of  special  committees  to 
look  up  absent  pupils  when  the  teacher  cannot  find 
time  to  call,  or  desires  others  also  to  call ;  such  committees 
often  include  scholars  of  the  schools. 

5.  The  Sunday-school  visitor  or  missionary  has  made 
a  place  for  herself  in  the  heart  and  service  of  the  Church. 
Pastors  whose  churches  cannot  afford  an  "assistant  pas- 
tor" find  largest  satisfaction  in  the  aid  of  a  consecrated 
woman  who  can  give  her  time  and  talents  to  the  work  of 
the  Kingdom.  The  splendid  possibilities  of  this  work 
are  only  now  being  suggested,  and  it  should  earnestly  be 

159 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

encouraged.  In  the  larger  schools  the  missionary  is 
paid  for  her  work  and  gives  her  whole  time  to  it,  having 
the  principal  care  of  the  visiting  among  the  members  of 
the  Sunday-school  and  of  the  work  of  gaining  new  mem- 
bers ;  and,  next  to  the  teacher,  the  responsibility  of  absent 
scholars.  Sometimes  the  visitor  is  a  volunteer,  who  can- 
not give  her  whole  time,  but  calls  upon  the  absentees, 
those  that  are  ill  and  in  any  trouble.  She  keeps  in  close 
touch  with  the  superintendent  in  all  these  matters.  Such 
attention  to  scholars  has  a  very  strong  hold,  too,  upon 
the  parents.  The  work  of  the  Sunday-school  visitor  or 
missionary  is  practically  that  of  a  deaconess,  with  the  defi- 
nite duty  of  looking  out  for  the  children  of  the  school  and 
for  those  who  should  be  in  it.  In  both  the  volunteer 
worker  finds  her  reward  in  the  work,  in  the  satisfaction 
of  carrying  comfort  and  help  to  those  in  need,  and  bring- 
ing them  into  touch  with  the  better  things  of  life. 

6.  Pupils  who  have  had  repeated  or  continued  absence 
can  be  reached  frequently  through  appointing  a  "special" 
week  for  inviting  them  to  return,  when  some  special  occa- 
sion, like  Rally  Day  or  Young  People's  Day,  is  made  the 
occasion  of  urgent  invitation.  Such  plan  often  brings 
pupils  when  otherwise  they  might  feel  diffident  about 
returning.  When  a  careful  record  is  kept  of  every  name 
placed  upon  the  Sunday-school  roll,  as  there  should  be, 
much  can  be  done  through  these  "special  occasions"  in 
regaining  the  lapsed  members — who  ought  never  to  have 
been  permitted  to  have  lapsed! — by  personal  word  and 
written  invitation. 

7.  Whatever  the  conscientious  endeavor  of  a  school, 
its  duty  extends  beyond  the  bounds  of  its  own  parish. 
Unless  that  duty  is  realized,  the  Church  at  large  will 
suffer  serious  and  irreparable  loss!  As  schools,  we  are 
responsible  for  every  soul  that  goes  out  from  them,  as  well 
as  for  those  that  continue  under  our  care.     When  a  pupil 

160 


HOLDING  AND  REGAINING  ABSENT   SCHOLARS 

moves  away  from  attending  distance  of  the  Sixth  Pres- 
byterian School,  Chicago,  111.,  the  superintendent  notifies 
the  school  nearest  to  the  pupil's  new  home,  using  the  fol- 
lowing cards: 


j'o Sunday-school. 

This  ivill  commend  to  your  care  atid  fellowship 

-who   has   been    a    member    of   the    Sixth    Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Vincennes  Ave.  and  Thirty-sixth  St. 

We  very  much  regret  having leave  us,  but 

knovj  that will  receive  a  warm  welcome  in  your 

school.  Tours  faithfully, 

Supt. 


(Will  Secretary  please  mail  this  card  to  address  on  other  side,  when 
scholar  is  received  into  your  school.) 


SIXTH   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Vincennes  Ave.  and  Thirty-sixth  St. 

Chicago, /90 

Dear  Superintendent : 

We  have  just  dismissed  from    our    Sunday-school 

living  at 

who  has  been  one  of  our 

members  in  the Department,  and 

whom  we  affectionately  commend  to  your  care. 

Will  you  kindly  look up,  and  have  your  Sec- 
retary mail  us  the  card  which should  hand  you 

-vjhen- joins  your  school.     Tours  faithfully, 

Supt. 


It  fills  one  with  hope  to  see  such  conscientious  follow- 
ing of  pupils.  When  all  churches  practise  like  plan,  we 
shall  be  spared,  perhaps,  our  appalling  number  of  lapsed 
'^Christians." 

161 


CHAPTER  XI 

WAYS  OF  REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

We  talk  of  "taking  the  world  for  Christ."  Have  we  for- 
gotten that  an  important  part  of  that  world,  so  far  as  we 
are  concerned,  is  by  us — in  the  boys  and  girls,  and  others 
whom  we  daily  meet?  "Why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into 
heaven?"  No  impossible  task  is  before  us.  The  Sun- 
day-school that  is  not  reaching  out,  and  reaching  new 
scholars,  is  an  anomaly.  The  successful  work  of  the 
Sunday-schools  of  to-day  in  reaching  new  scholars  is  a 
fascinating  story,  full  of  inspiration  and  promise.  There 
are  various  successful  plans  that  can  be  used,  for  the  most 
part,  in  any  school  and  under  any  conditions. 

This  work  is  usually  prosecuted  by  the  Sunday-school 
itself.  It  is  its  own  best  agency.  The  results,  therefore, 
are  two- fold :  souls  are  reached  and  the  lives  of  pupils 
doing  the  work  are  enriched,  there  is  a  deepening  of  their 
spiritual  life. 

I.  Our  first  effort  is  to  awaken  the  interest  of  the  school 
in  the  work  of  reaching  new  pupils.  The  methods  em- 
ployed to  this  end  may  seem  simple  (so  much  the  better) 
and  little  in  themselves,  but  they  speak  of  sympathy,  co- 
operation, common  interests  and  purpose,  and  of  a  real 
work  accomplished  for  Christ  and  His  Church !  What 
are  some  of  the  ways  of  getting  the  enrolled  members  of 
a  Sunday-school  to  work  for  new  members?  We  now 
enumerate,  bearing  in  mind  that  here,  too,  the  best  of 
plans  should  be  changed  sometimes  for  the  sake  of  fresh- 
ness and  variety.  First,  we  may  mention  the  awarding  of 
Certificates  of  Honor.      In  awarding  such  certificates,  let 

162 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 
^f  Cbc  ttwentlctb  Ccnturu  movement.  -^ 


Z^ie  Certificate  of  potior 
...  ^ir6(  (pttsi^ktian  ^unbag  ^cgocf... 


eo_ 


for  eecurtng 

ae  a  regufar  memfier  of  <^  ^c8ooP. 

^ 


.^cac^er, 


Qn^  HQboaocver  Will,  Uet  Dim  dome.  y 

US  remember  what  they  stand  for.  A  government  bond 
may  be  of  Httle  intrinsic  vahie,  but  that  which  it  stands  for 
counts.  So  with  certificates  of  award  for  bringing  in  new 
scholars. 


REWARD   OF  SERVICE. 


THE  SIXTH    PRESBYTERIAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

hereby  gratefully  acknozvledg-es  a  valuable  service  ren- 
dered by of  class  No. 

ifi  bringing  into  our  school 

located  in  class  No 

The  school  will  give  a  nice  bible  in  exchange  for  two  of  these  cards 
secured  by  any  scholar,  provided  the  scholars  so  brought  in  attend  our 
school  not  less  than  eight  times  within  three  months  from  the  time  they 
first  enter,  and  provided,  also,  they  are  not  taken  from  any  other  Sunday- 
school.  These  cards  will  not  be  given  for  bringing  back  former  members 
of  our  school  unless  they  have  been  absent  more  than  six  months. 

Chicago  i /po 

163 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

In  the  North  Baptist  School,  Camden,  N.  J.,  a  member 
of  the  school  on  bringing  in  his  first  ''new  scholar,"  as  a 
token  of  appreciation,  has  his  certificate  of  membership 


4 

1 

-S 
V 

bi 

^ 

t 

^ 

1 

1 

i 

1^ 
1 

^ 

^ 

li 

^ 

REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

which  he  received  when  he  entered  the  school  framed  for 
him.  On  bringing  a  second  new  scholar  he  receives  a 
Bible. 

In  the  United  Church  Sunday-school,  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  three  certificates  are  given,  first,  second  and  third, 
as  the  pupils  bring  in  new  members.  A  facsimile,  re- 
duced, of  one  of  the  certificates  is  given  on  the  preceding 
page.  The  other  certificates  are  similar,  the  "Third  Cer- 
tificate" being  somewhat  more  elaborate,  with  a  larger 
and,  of  course,  different  picture,  and  with  gold  printing 
and  decorations. 

The  meagre  expense  of  such  certificates  places  them 
within  the  reach  of  all  schools.  Prints  of  any  picture 
desired,  imitations  of  platinos,  can  be  obtained  for  2j 
cents  for  a  size  6J  by  8J  inches,  other  prints  according 
to  size.^  Such  "prints"  pasted  on  cards  variously  printed 
make  beautiful  gifts,  suited  to  various  purposes.  If  one 
prefer,  it  is  possible  to  obtain  plates  for  such  pictures, 
but  the  results  can  hardly  be  so  satisfactory.  These 
tokens  of  appreciation,  bearing  pleasant  recognition  of 
the  co-operation  of  pupils,  are  a  great  stimulus  to  them, 
and  it  tells  on  their  future  lives  as  well  as  on  the  present 
life  of  the  school.  Yet  some  workers  cry,  "Can  we  afford 
it?"  As  though  we  were  in  this  business  for  carnal  gain ! 
Can  we  afford  not  to  do  it?  In  addition  to  the  spiritual 
gain,  which  ought  to  be  the  supreme  consideration,  the 
ultimate  financial  gain  more  than  covers  the  expense  of 
such  work.  For  additional  scholars,  the  United  Church 
Sunday-school  announces  the  following  awards: 

For  Four  Scholars :     A  portfolio  of  Brown's  Pictures  of 

the  Life  of  Christ,  or  Bible. 
For  Five    Scholars :     A  large  mounted  picture,  or  book. 

^Address  A.  C.  Bosselman  &  Co.,  525  Broome  Street,  New 
York  City,  or  similar  business  houses. 

165 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

For    Six     Scholars:     A  Bagster's  Bible,  or  a  Bible  Dic- 
tionary. 
Note. — The  pictures   are   copies    from   celebrated   artists,   and 
mounted.    The  size  depends  upon  the  number  of  scholars. 

A  system  of  "contests"  is  another  way  of  varying  the 
work  and  of  stimulating  the  zeal  of  scholars  in  effort  for 
new  members.  The  Poplar  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  constituted  itself  into  five  com- 
panies, and  through  a  contest  secured  two  hundred  new 
members.  The  five  companies  organized  were  called 
A-B-C-D-E.  Company  E  was  the  Primary  Department. 
The  others  were  classes  from  the  other  grades  organized 
to  take  in  the  classes  of  both  boys  and  girls  in  such  a 
manner  as  would  make  them  about  equal  in  strength. 
Each  division  was  given  a  color  and  also  a  banner.  The 
banner  was  made  of  cloth  of  the  color  representing  the 
company,  and  contained  the  letter  of  the  company.  Mime- 
ograph membership  blanks  were  made.  As  the  new 
members  came  they  were  brought  to  the  front  seat  and 
the  membership  blanks  were  filled  out,  and  the  members 
credited  to  the  company  responsible  for  their  coming. 
The  banner  of  the  company  which  had  secured  the  largest 
number  of  members  was  placed  upon  the  platform  in  a 
very  conspicuous  place.  The  contest  lasted  about  six 
weeks.  Great  enthusiasm  prevailed.  The  contest  fur- 
thermore was  very  close,  with  the  exception  of  one  com- 
pany. The  winning  company  was  dined  by  the  losing 
companies  at  the  close  of  the  contest. 

In  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  the 
classes  were  divided  into  two  companies,  two  young  men 
being  chosen  as  leaders,  to  whom  the  teachers  of  classes 
reported  the  new  members  gained  by  their  classes, — not 
the  new  ones  in  the  classes,  for  the  scholars  gained  by 
one  side  were  often  placed  in  classes  of  the  other  side. 
New  pupils  were  counted  after  having  registered  and 

i66 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

attended  one  session  of  the  school,  the  record  being  kept 
on  a  blackboard  placed  in  front  of  the  school  and  the 
figures  changed  each  Sunday  by  the  leaders. 

A  similar  contest  was  carried  out  by  a  school  in  Erie, 
Pa.,  each  side  using  invitation  and  membership  cards 
of  a  different  color,  one  side  blue  and  the  other  side  red, 
the  record  being  kept  by  the  cards. 


UP,  UP. 

DOUBLE   UP 

IS  our  motto ^  and  -we  are  zvorking-  to  make  yanuary  i , 
igoo,  skoiv  a  roll  ivith  DOUB LE  the  present  number. 
If  you  do  not  attend  any  school,  ive  invite  you  to 

COME 

to  The  Calvary  Baptist  Sunday-school,  on  loth  St., 
betrveen  Peach  and  Sassafras,  ivhere  you  ■will  receive  a 
hearty  -welcome.     Bring  this  card  -with  you. 

Erie,  Pa.  HERBERT  H.  VAIL,  Superintendent. 


THE   CALVARY   BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
lOth,  Bet.  Peach  and  Sassafras, 

Welcojues 

Address 

Introduced  by 

G.  IV.  WICKHAM,  Ass't.  Supt.  H.  H.  VAIL,  Supt. 


The  lettering  on  the  cards  of  each  side  was  alike,  the 
only  difference  being  in  the  color  of  the  cards. 

Similar  contests  have  served  in  other  churches.  In 
the  Classon  Avenue  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  the 
division  was  by  classes,  the  success  of  the  contest  de- 
pending on  the  attendance  and  the  credits  for  new  schol- 
ars, the  bringing  in  of  a  new  scholar  entitling  the  class  to 

167 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

an  extra  ten  credits.  The  certificates  for  bringing  in 
new  scholars  were  pubUcly  awarded,  and  the  classes  per- 
fect in  attendance  were  indicated  on  the  attendance  bul- 
letin by  a  gold  star,  for  each  new  scholar  brought  into  the 
school  by  any  member  of  the  class,  placed  over  the  num- 
ber of  the  class.  A  banner  was  placed  each  Sunday  in 
the  class  having  the  best  record  for  the  preceding  Sun- 
day, the  color  of  the  banner  indicating  the  side  to  which 
the  class  belonged. 

In  the  Covenant  Congregational  Church  School,  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  autograph  buttons  were  used.  Each  pupil  who 
brought  in  a  new  member  received  one.  Last  year,  when  the 
membership  had  reached  five  hundred,  red  and  black  but- 
tons were  divided  among  the  scholars,  and  the  side  bring- 
ing in  the  largest  number  of  members  during  the  week 
was  announced  on  Sunday,  the  teachers  wearing  the  color 
of  the  winning  side.  A  prize  was  awarded  to  the  scholar 
who  brought  in  most  members,  also  to  the  class  and  to 
the  department  which  best  succeeded. 

The  Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  stimulated  the  attendance  and  increased  the 
enrolment  recently  by  announcing  in  December  that  on 
the  1st  of  April  two  honor  lists  would  be  read,  one  con- 
taining the  names  of  the  ten  classes  in  the  Sunday-school 
who  had  the  highest  record  of  average  attendance  during 
the  time  from  the  ist  of  December  to  the  ist  of  April; 
the  second  list  containing  the  names  of  the  ten  classes 
which  brought  in  the  most  new  scholars  during  the  same 
period  of  time.  The  two  lists  were  read  each  Sunday 
during  this  time,  or  almost  every  Sunday.  As  it  con- 
stantly changed  according  to  the  varying  record  of  the 
classes,  there  was  continued  interest  during  the  entire 
period  to  see  which  class  could  get  near  the  top.  For 
a  long  time  one  of  the  classes  had  a  record  of  ioo%  ; 
that  is  to  say,  all  the  members  were  present  every  Sun- 

i68 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

day.  In  order  that  the  classes  which  brought  in  new 
scholars  might  have  due  credit,  the  following  card  was 
used: 


WALNUT  STREET   PRESBYTERIAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Walnut,  above  Thirty-ninth  Street,  Philadelphia. 


In  response  to  an  invitation  by 

Class  No 

/  vjould   like   my   name   enrolled  as   a    member   of  the 
Sunday-school. 

Name :. 

Address 

Date  of  entering 


Usually,  credit  for  "new  scholars"  includes  names 
gained  for  the  Home  Department  and  the  Cradle  Roll. 

Miscellaneous  awards.  The  Willoughby  Avenue  Con- 
gregational Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  is  very  suc- 
cessful in  giving  out  cards  called  "nominating  cards," 
and  promising  a  bronze  medal  for  bringing  in  three  new 
scholars,  a  silver  medal  for  five  and  a  gold  medal  for 
ten.  The  new  pupils  must  stay  in  the  school  for  at  least 
four  Sundays  before  credit  is  given  to  the  scholar  bring- 
ing them  in;  and  when  the  scholar  has  earned  a  bronze 
medal  and  brings  in  two  more  members,  the  bronze  medal 
is  exchanged  for  a  silver  one.  The  gold  medal  is  simi- 
larly earned.  This  school  has  had  as  many  as  nineteen 
new  members  in  two  successive  Sundays,  when  only  one 
medal,  a  bronze  one,  was  earned.  The  medals  are  pub- 
licly awarded  at  sessions  of  the  school. 

In  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Johnstown, 
Pa.,  awards  are  in  the  form  of  money,  which  goes  to  the 
mission  funds  of  the  successful  classes. 

In  the  Christ  Congregational  Church,  New  York,  a 

169 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

silver  medal,  the  cost  limited  to  three  dollars,  is  given  to 
the  scholar  who  brings  into  the  school  during  the  year 
the  highest  number  of  new  pupils  over  five  in  number,  pro- 
vided that  such  pupils  have  not  been  drawn  from  a  neigh- 
boring school. 

The  Sunday-school  of  the  Trinity  Reformed  Church, 
Canton,  Ohio,  upon  receiving  a  pupil  from  a  neighboring 
school  notifies  the  superintendent  of  that  school,  that  there 
may  be  opportunity,  if  desired,  of  winning  back 
the  pupil  to  his  own  school.  For  this  purpose  a  reason- 
able time  is  allowed,  after  which  the  pupil  is  enrolled  if 
he  still  desires  to  remain.  This  plan  of  Trinity  Reformed 
School  merits  conscientious  consideration.  We  cannot 
be  too  careful  about  drawing  pupils  from  other  schools. 
Naturally,  there  will  always  be  some  changes;  and  if  a 
school  fails  to  progress  and  meet  the  needs  of  pupils 
losses  must  be  expected.  But  with  conditions  normal 
and  fairly  equal,  there  should  be  closest  sympathy  be- 
tween schools,  and  efforts  for  mutual  protection  and  sup- 
port.    The  Lord  save  us  from  carnal,  sectarian  strife ! 

The  Prospect  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Tren- 
ton, N.  J.,  places  the  names  of  those  scholars  who  bring 
in  new  pupils  on  an  Honor  Roll,  each  new  pupil  brought 
in  being  represented  by  a  gold  seal. 

In  the  Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school, 
Brockton,  Mass.,  the  slips  used  by  the  scholars  in  bring- 
ing in  new  pupils  are  placed  on  file,  and  later  the  new 
scholars  and  the  ones  who  brought  them  in  are  given  a  re- 
ception. The  plan  happily  furthers  acquaintance  in  the 
school. 

One  of  the  successful  plans  in  the  James  Lees  Memorial 
Bible-school,  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  securing  enlarged  at- 
tendance is  the  use  of  a  "Roll  of  Recruiting  Officers." 
The  plan  is  to  enroll  any  one  as  a  recruiting  officer  who 
brings    as    many    as    three    new    pupils    and    sees    that 

170 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

they  are  in  their  places  at  least  six  Sundays.  Realizing 
that  an  officer  should  be  equipped  with  a  sword,  the 
school  promises  to  each  enrolled  officer  the  "Sword  of 
the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word  of  God." 

2.  Miscellaneous  plans.  A  welcoming  committee  for 
meeting  strangers  at  church  services  and  inviting  them  to 
the  Bible-study  hour  is  helpful.  The  Kirk  Street  Con- 
gregational Sunday-school,  Lowell,  Mass.,  has  some  ten 
interested  Sunday-school  workers  who  see  to  it  that  every 
stranger  at  church  receives  a  personal  invitation  to  the 
Sunday-school  session.  Visitors  to  the  school  should  be 
welcomed  cordially,  of  course. 

The  following  card  may  mean  much  to  a  stranger  who 
comes  into  the  Sunday-school  for  the  first  time,  or  for  the 
few  Sabbaths  of  his  sojourn : 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL,    CALVARY   BAPTIST   CHURCH, 
City  of  Washington. 


Visitor'' s  Name. 

Home  Address 

Member  of. Church. 

Position  in  Church  or  Sunday-school. 

1903 


Should  he  return  to  the  place  as  a  permanent  resident, 
would  he  not  naturally  return  to  the  school  that  once 
gave  him  cordial  welcome? 

The  Rayne  Memorial  Sunday-school,  New  Orleans, 
La.,  has  a  Department  of  Extension  consisting  of  the 
missionary,  a  volunteer  who  works  faithfully  for  the 
school  and  has  brought  in  a  large  number  of  scholars,  and 
a  permanent  visitation  committee.  The  district  contig- 
uous to  the  church  is  divided  into  a  number  of  districts, 

171 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

with  a  chairman  in  charge  of  each,  whose  duty  it  is 
during  the  week  previous  to  Ingathering  Day  to  provide 
for  the  visiting  of  every  home  in  his  district,  and  regu- 
larly thereafter  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  persons  reached, 
with  view  to  getting  them  into  the  Bible-school.  Any 
newcomers  into  a  district  are  at  once  visited. 

The  Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  has  found 
that  much  time  is  wasted  in  house-to-house  work  through 
not  knowing  localities ;  for  instance,  some  parts  are  flock- 
ing with  Catholicism,  where  visitation  has  proven  prac- 
tically useless,  but  this  school  has  found  that  its  members 
frequently  know  of  a  child,  a  house  or  a  family  that  ought 
to  be  reached.  Each  member  of  the  school,  therefore,  is 
asked  to  fill  in  the  following  blank: 


BAPTIST  TEMPLE   BIBLE-SCHOOL. 
BUILDING  DEPT.,  ,  190 


Please  ansiver  the  folio-wing  questions  i 
Have  you  any  brothers  and  sisters  f 
Hotv  many  and  what  ages  f 
Are  they  all  in  this  school  f 
If  not  here,  write  where  they  do  attend. 
Have  you  parents  living  P 

Are  they  attendants  of  any  church,  and  rvhere  f 
Do  they  attend  Sunday  f  Where  ? 

Do  you  know  any  boys,  girls,  young  men  or  young 
women  who  do  not  attend  Sunday-school  f 

Make  a  List. 

Name 

Address 


Name 

Address  

Class  Teacher - 


172 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

A  similar  plan,  but  of  simpler  form,  is  the  use  of  the 
following  cards : 


BRICK   CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Rochesiep,  N.  Y. 


To  the  Superintendent : 

Below  please  fijid  name  and  address  of  a  person  I 
knoiv  of  not  noiv  attending  Sunday-school^  ivho,  I  think, 
might  he  gotten  into  our  School  by  your  per soiial  atten- 
tion and  effort. 


Please  sign  your  own  name  and  address. 


Possible  New  Scholar: 

Name 

Address 

Remarks  :  

Return,  when  filled  out,  to  Rev.  G.  B.  F.  Hallock,  lO  Livingston  Park. 


RECRUIT   CARD. 
BRICK  CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 


Please  ivrite  below  the  name  and  address  of  one 
person  you  know  who  is  not  now  attending  Sunday-school, 
and  who  you  think  might  accept  an  invitation  to  come 
to  ours.      We  will  see  that  a  cordial  invitation  is  given. 

Be  sure  NO  T  to  give  the  name  of  any  one  who  is  a  member  of  any 
other  Church  or  Sunday-school. 

The  person'' s  name 

The  person's  address,  No - St. 

About  what  age  is  the  person  f 

A''.  B. —  Write  any  suggestions  as  to  classes  they  might  like,  or  other 
remarks,  on  back  of  card. 

Please  fill  out  this  card  and  hand  to  your  teacher  this 
mornings  if  possible.  If  not,  then  secure  this  week  the 
name  and  address  of  one  possible  new  scholar  and  hand 
in  card  next  Sunday. 

Name  of  teacher  of  your  class 

Teacher  please  collect  cards  and  hand  to  Superintendent. 


173 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

When  addresses  are  obtained  through  the  use  of  such 
cards  a  personal  letter  from  the  superintendent  is  sent 
them: 

BRICK    CHURCH    SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
North  Fitzhugh   Street,   corner  of  Allen. 


Rochester, ,  igo  . 

It  is  not  the  desire  of  the  Brick  Church  to  increase  its 
membership,  or  that  of  its  Sunday-school,  from  those 
who  attend  other  churches.  But  we  do  have  a  warm  wel- 
come awaiting  those  who  have  not  already  chosen  a 
church  home. 

This  letter  is  a  special  invitation  to  you  to  come  and 
join  one  of  the  classes  in  our  Sunday-school,  as  we  are 
told  by  a  friend  of  yours  that  you  are  not  a  member  of 
any  school  at  present. 

The  hour  of  meeting  is  exactly  twelve  o'clock  noon. 
The  session  closes  promptly  at  one  o'clock.  We  have 
a  beautiful  new  room  seating  1,500,  and  suitable  depart- 
ments and  classes  for  all  ages.  Large  classes  for  young 
men  and  young  women,  in  class-rooms  that  open  into 
the  main  school-room.  We  try  by  spirited  music,  short, 
earnest  prayers,  faithful  Bible  study  and  a  variety  of 
general  exercises  to  please,  interest  and  profit  all  who 
come  among  us. 

The  visitors'  seats  are  conveniently  located  near  the 
doors.  We  will  be  happy  to  greet  you  there,  and,  after 
the  opening  exercises  of  the  school,  to  show  you  the  vari- 
ous classes. 

Please  accept  this  invitation  and  come  next  Sunday. 
Ever  cordially  yours, 

G.  B.  F.  Hallock,  Superintendent. 

In  sending  such  a  letter,  a  card  like  the  one  on  the  fol- 
lowing page  is  enclosed. 

3.  House-to-house  visitation  for  reaching  new  schol- 
ars is  a  permanent  part  of  the  work  of  some  schools.     For 

174 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 


BRING  THIS   CARD   WITH   YOU.  HAND  TO   USHER, 


This  card  i?itroduces 

M 

Address  

TvJio  accepts  an   I'nvitatioti    to    become   a   member  of  the 
Brick  Church  Sunday-school^  Rochester^  N.   T. 

G.  B.  F.  HALLOCK,  Superintendent. 

School  meets  at  12  o^ clock.,  noon,  N.  Fitzhicgh  St.,  cor.  Allen  St. 


such  canvass,  the  Rhode  Island  State  Sunday-school  As- 
sociation uses  the  form  outlined  on  the  next  page. 

To  conduct  such  canvass  once  in  a  lifetime  is  one  thing ; 
to  constitute  such  canvass  as  an  essential  feature  of  a 
school's  yearly  work  is  quite  another  thing.  The  North 
Baptist  Sunday-school,  Camden,  N.  J.,  consider  them- 
selves responsible  for  the  section  of  the  city  in  which  they 
are  thus  centrally  located,  and  aim  to  know  through  per- 
sonal visitation  at  least  twice  a  year  the  occupancy  of 
every  house  in  that  section,  with  church  and  Sunday- 
school  status  of  each  member  of  the  household.  As  a 
result,  quite  a  large  number  of  new  pupils  are  added  to 
this  school  yearly.  Through  a  similar  plan  in  the  First 
Baptist  Sunday-school,  Asheville,  N.  C,  one  teacher 
brought  in  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  children  in  one 
year  from  the  slums,  places  of  filth  and  squalor, 
washed  their  dirty  hands  and  faces,  cut  and  brushed 
their  hair,  clothed  them  and  brought  them  to  Sunday- 
school.  Out  of  that  number  about  fifty,  or  al- 
most one-third,  were  rescued  and  saved.  Others 
scattered  to  different  places,  some  moved  away  from  the 
city.  Some  of  the  brightest  boys  and  girls  in  the  Sun- 
day-school came  from  this  class  of  people,  and  are  now 
becoming  splendid  Christian  workers.      After  remaining 

175 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


in  the  Sunday-school  for  some  time  they  forget  the  days 
that  are  gone  and  press  forward  to  a  higher  calling. 


HOUSE-TO  HOUSE  VISITATION. 

t  No 

District  N'n 

Sub-Distric 

Name  of  f ami 

7v 

*/ 

Language White  \       \     Colored  \       \ 

No.  in  Family 
Attending  S.  S. 

No.  in  Family 

Communicant 

Church  Members. 

No.  in  Family 
15  years  old 
and  under. 

Total  No.— All 
Ages— in  Family. 

Church  Preferences.                              _ 

Put  an  X  opposite  the  Church  preferred. 

Advent                                             1 

Methodist  Episcopal 

Baptist                                              1 

Methodist  Primitive 

Baptist  Free                                    | 

New  Jerusalem  Church 

Christian                                          1 

Presbyterian 

Congregational                               1 

United  Presbyterian 

Episcopal                                         1 

Roman  Catholic 

Friends                                             1 

Universalist 

Jews                                                  ! 

Unitarian 

Lutheran                                          \ 

No  Preference                                  |        | 

If  their  denomination  is  not  named  above  y  write  it  here  .\ 

Write  name  of  Pastor  of  Church  attended  or  preferred: 

Are  any  of  family  members  of  Churches  in  other  places? 

Visitov             - 

Visitor'' s  Aa 
Put 

ANY    REMARKS    ON   THE    BACK   OF   THIS  CARD. 

The  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Concord,  N.  H.,  re- 
cently completed  a  card  catalogue  of  all  persons  coming 
under  the  influence  of  the  church,  compiled  from  the 
lists  of  pew-holders,  church  members,  members  of  the 
Sunday-school,  young  people's  societies  and  all  the  vari- 

176 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

ous  organizations  connected  with  the  church,  supple- 
mented and  augmented  by  the  names  of  every  member 
of  every  family  on  the  list.  The  city  is  divided  into  dis- 
tricts, and  the  names  on  the  catalogue  have  been  assigned 
to  volunteer  "callers,"  v^ho  have  a  systematic  plan  of 
personal  effort  for  each  individual. 

4.  Another  simple  plan  is  with  view  of  enlisting  all 
the  members  of  a  school  in  the  home  missionary  work  of 
reaching  new  scholars.  Beautiful  announcement  cards 
are  placed  in  the  hands  of  all  the  pupils,  to  be  used  as 
invitation  cards,  with  an  added  personal  word,  if  pos- 
sible, to  persons  who  are  not  attending  any  Bible-school 
or  church.  This  is  the  spirit  and  habit  that  should  be 
cultivated,  worked  for,  prayed  for, — if  we  are  to  follow 
our  Pentecostal  ideal. 

5.  Now  follows  another  essential  feature  of  this  work : 
the  suitable  reception  and  care  of  new  pupils,  only  so 
can  they  be  secured.  The  first  impression  on  coming 
into  a  school  means  much  to  them.  The  North  Baptist 
Sunday-school  of  Camden,  N.  J.,  feel  that  the  proper 
assignment  of  scholars  to  classes  is  a  matter  sufficiently 
important  to  occupy  all  of  one  person's  energies  as  a 
school  officer.  And  so  they  have,  as  an  assistant  to  the 
general  superintendent,  their  superintendent  of  classi- 
fication, who  happens  to  be  a  public-school  teacher  well 
fitted  for  this  special  work.  It  is  to  this  lady  that  every 
new  scholar  is  introduced  on  entering  the  school.  The 
first  thing  that  "Teddy"  does  after  the  pleasant  welcome 
he  receives  is  to  enter  his  own  name,  if  he  can  write,  in 
the  school  album,  wherein  also  are  entered  data  as  to  his 
previous  Sunday-school  connection,  if  any ;  age,  residence 
and  birthday.  Additional  blanks  are  provided  for  re- 
cording what  class  he  is  assigned  to,  and,  when  leaving, 
what  becomes  of  him,  so  far  as  can  be  learned.  He  is 
thus  made  to  feel  at  the  very  start  that  he  is  already  a 

177 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

person  of  importance  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  "run" 
that  school,  and  it  is  easy  to  imagine  how  excitedly  he 
will  be  telling  his  mother,  after  returning  home  that  first 
day,  of  how  he  wrote  his  name  in  the  big  book,  and  how 
nice  the  lady  was  who  asked  him  questions  and  thought 
so  much  of  him.^ 

Enrolment  blanks  are  also  used  for  recording  helpful 
data  : 


ADMISSION   BLANK. 

BETHANY   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 


igo 

Will  the  Teacher  please  see  that  a  blank  like  this  is  filled  up  by  each 
New  Scholar,  whether  coming  from  another  School  or  as  a  transfer  from 
another  Cla^s  ? 

My  name  is 

/  live  at 

/  am .years  of  age 

I  am  a  member  of. Church 

If  not  a  member,  write  NO  in  the  blank. 

My  father'' s  name  is 

My  mother^ s  na^ne  is 

I  have brothers sisters.      Their  names  are 


I  ivork  at. I  formerly 

attefided  Sunday-school  at 

My  former  class  in  Bethatiy  ivas 

/  joined  this  School,  as  near  as  I  can  remember^  about 

month year. 

Teacher'' s  Name  

Class  No 

This  information  may  sometime  be  of  great  service  to  the  scholar. 

Seer  eta  ry. 


^Charles  Gallaudet  Trumbull,  The  Sunday-school  Times,  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1900. 

178 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 

In  the  First  Methodist  Sunday-school,  Boise,  Idaho, 
when  the  appHcation  blank  has  been  filled  out  and  handed 
to  the  secretary,  the  following  slip  is  returned  to  the 
teacher  of  the  class  in  which  the  new  pupil  is  enrolled : 


Teacher''s  Name 
Name 

TEACHER'S 

SLIP. 

Class  No. 

NEW  SCHOLAR. 

Address   1 

No 

.---  Street. 

After  this 
IV ill  be 

scholar  has  been  iti  attendance  tzvo  Su7idays 
enrolled  as  a  regular  member  of  your  class 
PHILLIP  /.    TATE,  Enrolling  Secretary. 

Enrolment  slips  are  filled  out  sometimes  by  the  teachers 


PROSPECT  STREET   PRESBYTERIAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL 
of  Trenton,  N.  J. 


Dear  Superintendetit  : 

I  have  to  report  that  I  have  enrolled 

as  a  member  of  my  class. 

Member  of Church. 

Residence   

^ge 

ParenV s  name  

(Omit  last  two  questions  if  an  adult.) 
Yo  u  rs  fa  ithfu  II y , 

Teacher  Class  No. 


Sunday-schools  that  "succeed"  magnify  the  enrolment 
of  new  pupils  in  some  special  way.  The  pledge  card  has 
given  good  results. 

179 


MODERN    METHODS    IN    SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK 


PUPIL'S  CARD. 

/  hereby  enroll  myself  a  pupil  in  the 

FIRST   BAPTIST   BIBLE-SCHOOL, 

Indianapolis,  Ind. 

And  Tvill  try  to  be  punctual  and  regular  in  my  attend- 
ance and  to  study  my  lesson. 

Name 

Address  

Date 

Date  of  birthday 


The  United  Church  Sunday-school,  New  Haven,  Conn., 
gives  each  new  member  a  card  bearing  a  pleasant  greet- 
ing, the  calendar  of  the  church  services  being  printed  on 
the  back  of  the  card. 


UNITED  CHURCH  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 
New  Haven,  Conn. 


Dear  Friend  : —  We  are  very  happy  to  -welcome  you 
to  our  Sunday-school,  and  desire  to  express  to  you  our 
most  cordial  greeting.  We  shall  try  to  help  you  to 
become  better  acquainted  ivith  the  Bible,  and  hope  that 
your  relation  to  Christ  may  become  more  real.  In  order 
that  the  greatest  good  may  be  accomplished,  ive  expect 
that  you  will  be  regular  in  your  attendance  and  faithful 
in  the  preparation  of  your  lessons.  Kindly  extend  to 
the  other  members  of  your  family  an  invitation  to  any  or 
all  of  the  services  of  the  Church  and  Sunday-school. 
Hoping  that  ive  may  be  of  mutual  service  to  each  other, 
I  am  Tours  very  truly, 

WALTER  R.  DOWNS,  General  Superintendent. 


On  this  card,  which  is  about  4x6  inches,  appears  a  pic- 
ture of  the  Christ,  "Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock." 

180 


REACHING  AND  SECURING  NEW  SCHOLARS 


Beautiful    certificates    of   membership    are    sometimes 
sriven : 


If  such  certificates  and  similar  gifts  ^  seem  small  in 

*  For  an  award  Bible  of  flexible  leather  cover  and  good  print, 
containing  Bible  Dictionary  and  Concordance,  I  commend  Nel- 
son's Teachers'  Bible,  No.  7,501^  (90  cents  net)  .  Address 
Thomas  Nelson  and  Sons,  yi  East  Eighteenth  Street,  New  York. 

181 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

themselves,  one  has  but  to  Hsten  to  the  remarks  of  the 
recipients  to  learn  that  they  have  been  given  genuine 
pleasure,  and  that  another  link  has  been  forged  in  the 
golden  chain  of  heavenly  influences  that  help  bind  them 
to  God  and  to  the  Church  of  our  Blessed  and  Divine  Re- 
deemer. But  to  this  end  our  gifts  of  material  things  must 
be  sustained  by  greater  things :  love,  sympathy,  spiritual- 
ity !  The  secret  at  the  last  of  securing  scholars  to  a 
school  lies  in  a  zvell-ordcred  school,  absence  of  confusion, 
clearness  of  plan,  immediate  helpful  work,  and  in  that 
quiet,  strengthening,  fragrant  atmosphere  through  the 
Divine  Spirit  that  is  ever  of  those  who  abide  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty. 


182 


CHAPTER  XII 

WAYS  OF  SECURING  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE 

I.  The  problem  of  Christianity  has  been  tersely  stated 
as  that  of  church  attendance;  and  the  problem  of  church 
attendance  as  that  of  getting  the  children  to  church.  The 
latter  statement  certainly  cannot  be  questioned.  Would 
we  find  the  explanation  why  there  are  so  many  non- 
church-goers,  and  why  others  continue  the  conscientious 
attendants  and  sustainers  of  the  Church  notwithstanding 
the  maelstrom  of  modern  life,  we  must  look  back  into  the 
childhood  of  these  people  when  the  one  were  permitted 
to  neglect  Church  worship  and  when  the  other  were  re- 
quired to  go,  even  when  averse.  And  when  we  inquire 
of  lapsed  Christians  and  lukewarm  church  members,  we 
find  that  in  youth  they  were  without  the  religious  teach- 
ing and  church-going  habits  which  were  enforced  on  the 
youth  of  those  who  now,  for  the  most  part,  are  the 
stanch,  strong  and  devoted  members  of  our  churches.  In 
similar  early  training  also  we  find  the  explanation  of  the 
faithful  church-going  of  Roman  Catholics.  Rev.  Fred- 
erick Campbell,  Sc.D.,  recently  said:  "It  is  a  matter  of 
joy  that  we  have  such  large  numbers  of  children  and 
youth  in  the  Sabbath-school,  for  this  affords  most  val- 
uable opportunities  to  churches  and  pastors.  But  it  is 
a  matter  of  lamentation  that  perhaps  the  greater  number 
of  our  Sabbath-school  scholars  do  not  attend  the  regular 
public  services  of  the  Church.  We  speak  of  the  Sab- 
bath-school as  the  nursery  of  the  Church ;  but  many  more 
children  graduate  from  the  Sabbath-school  into  the  world 

183 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

than  into  the  Church.  It  is  folly  to  say  that  when  chil- 
dren reach  that  age  at  which  great  numbers  of  them  drop 
out  of  Sabbath-school  they  will  at  once  drop  into  the 
Church  in  any  permanent  way.  During  all  their  child- 
hood they  have  been  cultivating  two  habits — that  of  Sab- 
bath-school attendance,  which  they  now  threaten  to  break, 
and  that  of  absence  from  church,  which  they  do  not 
threaten  to  break.  When  the  only  tie  between  the  Church 
and  the  youth  is  the  Sabbath-school,  with  the  sev- 
ering of  that  tie  the  youth  is  lost  to  the  Church.  .  .  . 
There  is  widespread  complaint  at  present  about  the  neg- 
lect of  church-going.  Permit  me  to  make  a  partial  diag- 
nosis of  the  case  in  the  statement  that  a  generation  ago 
parents  became  lax  in  encouraging  the  children  in  church- 
going.  We  now  inherit  the  results  of  their  folly 
in  multitudes  regularly  absent  from  the  house  of  God. 
What  you  expect  men  to  do  when  they  are  grown  you 
must  teach  them  to  do  when  they  are  young.  'Train  up 
a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he 
will  not  depart  from  it.'  If  because  of  nervous  infirmity 
any  child  be  unable  to  attend  both  church  and  Sabbath- 
school  ...  I  unhesitatingly  say,  'Keep  him  at  home 
from  Sabbath-school,  but  take  him  regularly  to  church.' 
It  is  the  view  of  many  that  public  service  is  for  grown 
people  and  Sabbath-school  for  children  and  youth.  This 
is  a  great  mistake.  I  like  Dr.  Herrick  Johnson's  defini- 
tion of  the  Sabbath-school  as  being  'the  Church  engaged 
in  the  study  of  the  Word  of  God.'  This  destroys,  as  it 
ought,  that  line  of  demarcation  between  the  Sabbath- 
school  and  the  Church ;  they  are  one,  and  ought  to  be  one. 
It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  possible  to  define  the  Church 
as  being  the  Sabbath-school  engaged  in  attendance  upon 
the  sacraments  and  the  preaching  of  the  Word ;  but  every 
one  knows  that  such  a  definition  would  falsify  the  facts. 
To  describe  the  Sabbath-school  as  'the  children's  church' 

184 


WAYS  OF  SECURING  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE 

is  a  very  grave  inconsistency;  for  if  the  Sabbath-school 
be  a  church,  where  are  the  sacraments  and  the  preaching 
of  the  Word  ?  Who  ever  took  part  in  the  one  or  hstened  to 
the  other  in  the  Sabbath-school?  If  we  are  to  have 
church-goers  in  the  next  generation  we  must  train  them 
up  in  this.  This  can  only  be  done  by  abandoning  such 
theories  on  the  one  hand  and  by  confronting  a  fact  on 
the  other.  That  fact  is  the  growing  disregard  of  parental 
obligation.  Where  parents  view  the  Sabbath-school  as 
the  children's  corner  of  the  church,  as  the  nursery  their 
department  of  the  home,  and  attend  church  without  them, 
both  parents  and  children  should  be  specially  dealt 
with.  And  when  parents  do  not  themselves  attend 
church,  as  is  true  in  many  of  our  Sabbath-school  families, 
and  merely  send  their  children  to  Sabbath-school,  the 
Church  must  be  both  father  and  mother  to  the  little  ones 
and  gather  them  for  its  public  services.  Constant  at- 
tention to  this  need  of  childhood  will  alone  establish  the 
church-going  habit.  Neither  for  childhood  nor  for  com- 
ing maturity  can  the  young  afford  to  miss  the  public 
services  of  the  house  of  God.  You  may  say  that  chil- 
dren will  not  understand  the  sermon.  Are  you  sure  that 
all  older  people  comprehend  its  divine  truths?  Could 
one  per  cent,  of  this  congregation  tell  this  minute  what 
their  pastor  preached  about  last  Sabbath?  Could  one- 
tenth  of  one  per  cent,  give  an  intelligent  account  of  his 
discourse?  The  benefit  of  church-going,  whether  to  old 
or  young,  is  not  only  in  possessing  an  understanding  and 
memory  of  the  discourse;  it  is,  rather,  in  the  whole  in- 
fluence of  the  service,  of  which  the  sermon  is  a  minor 
part;  in  the  personal  association  with  Christian  people, 
in  the  character  of  him  who  stands  as  God's  living  mes- 
senger, in  the  impression  produced  by  song  and  sacra- 
ment and  prayer,  in  the  hush  of  the  devout  assembly 
and  awe-inspired  by  the  very  architecture  of  the  sacred 

185 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

building.  The  child  who  is  not  enjoying  all  this  is  de- 
prived of  the  holiest  and  most  uplifting  influences  which 
are  open  to  mankind."  ^ 

If  our  Sunday-school  work  fail,  then,  of  securing  the 
attendance  of  pupils  upon  the  church  services  of  wor- 
ship, we  have  failed  pitifully !  Indeed,  we  have  largely  lost 
our  years  of  toil,  lost  our  youth !  and  lost  their  services  to 
God's  Church  and  Kingdom !  Does  this  appear  an  ex- 
travagant statement?  The  Rev.  Alfred  Rowland,  in  a 
recent  article  in  the  British  Weekly,^  referring  to  the 
mooted  question,  "What  becomes  of  all  our  Sunday- 
school  scholars?"  told  of  a  teacher  who  attempted  to 
trace  a  hundred  of  the  old  pupils  of  the  school.  Out  of 
the  seventy-seven  cases  in  which  he  was  successful,  he 
found  that  only  two  were  attending  church  regularly, 
while  thirty-nine  had  become  confirmed  drunkards.  This 
may  be  an  exceptional  case.  I  believe  it  it.  But  let 
our  many  depleted  churches  say  whether  or  no  the  chil- 
dren of  their  schools,  so  much  as  half  of  them,  have 
become  attendants  and  supporters  of  the  Church !  All 
of  which  throws  a  singularly  strong  light  on  the  need 
of  definite  efi^ort  in  instilling  the  children  with  the  duty 
of  church  attendance  and  of  bringing  them  into  church- 
going  habits.      By  what  means  can  this  be  accomplished? 

2.  Methods  of  interesting  children  in  Church  services  of 
worship.  First,  we  ought  in  all  possible  ways  to  enlist  the 
co-operation  of  the  parents.  The  task  is  doubly  hard 
when  they  are  indifferent.  The  First  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Newport,,  R.  L,  has  found  it  helpful  to  print  Rev.  Dr. 
Campbell's  article,  quoted  above,  in  the  form  of  a  leaflet  for 

^  Extract  from  an  address  before  the  Kings  County  Sunday- 
school  Convention  in  the  Baptist  Temple,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  No- 
vember 20,  1902,  published  in  the  Christian  Work  and  Evangelist 
January  17,   1903,  p.   112. 

^  December  19,  1901. 

186 


WAYS  OF  SECURING  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE 

distribution  among  parents.  Similar  literature  is  also 
placed  in  the  hands  of  parents  at  convenient  seasons.  We 
do  well  also  to  disillusion  those  who  reason,  "My  chil- 
dren do  not  care  to  go  to  church,  and  I  do  not  believe 
in  compelling  them  to  go."  Would  these  same  parents 
so  reason  of  secular  education?  If  so,  the  State  comes 
in  to  be  wisdom  for  them,  and  to  say  that  the  child  must 
go  to  school.  Children  do  not  want  to  do  many  things ; 
sometimes  they  do  not  want  to  wash  their  faces,  go  to  bed, 
or  give  up  painting  a  window  with  shoe-blacking.  Chil- 
dren of  indulgent  parents  have  a  lot  of  good  times;  but 
those  same  children  may  some  day  despise  the  folly  that 
indulged  them. 

Our  effort  must  also  be  with  the  children.  The  church 
services  should  usually  be  announced  in  the  school. 
Where  the  school  meets  before  the  church  service,  the 
announcement  is  made  just  before  the  closing  of  the  ses- 
sion, and  all  who  can  are  urged  to  attend.  In  the  Central 
Christian  Church,  Lexington,  Ky.,  the  closing  exer- 
cises of  the  school  are  omitted  and  scholars  and  teachers 
pass  directly  from  the  class-rooms  to  the  church  audi- 
torium. The  pastor.  Rev.  I.  J.  Spencer,  says :  "As  a  re- 
sult of  this  method  and  the  earnest  co-operation  of  su- 
perintendent and  teachers,  yy%  of  the  entire  school  at- 
tend the  church  services."  The  minister  preaches  at 
eleven  o'clock,  usually  on  some  part  of  the  ample  Sun- 
day-school lesson,  giving  much  study  to  its  preparation 
to  make  it  graphic  and  helpful  to  the  younger  pupils. 
Church  attendance  is  further  encouraged  through  credit, 
therefore,  in. the  records  of  Sunday-school  work;  reports 
of  church  attendance  for  the  Sabbath,  or  the  preceding 
Sabbath,  being  made  to  the  teacher  and  credited  to  the 
pupils  in  the  class  records. 

Again,  in  the  opening  exercises  of  the  school  the  su- 
perintendent or  pastor  may  request  all  pupils  who  at- 

187 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

tended  the  last  morning  service  of  worship  in  the  church 
to  rise  or  to  raise  the  hand.  Such  request  may  not  be 
advisable  every  Sabbath,  but  an  occasional  request  of  the 
kind  is  a  reminder  to  the  whole  school  that  their  doings 
are  followed  with  solicitous  interest,  and  this  will  be  kind- 
ly encouragement  and  admonition  to  church  attendance. 

In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Jamestown,  N.  Y., 
the  reports  for  the  day  include  the  attendance  at  church 
of  those  present  in  the  school.  If  the  per  cent,  of  church 
attendance  is  smaller  than  usual,  attention  is  always  called 
to  it. 

In  Trinity  Presbyterian  Church,  San  Francisco,  Cal., 
in  the  quarterly  reports  classes  have  rank  according  to 
the  record  of  their  church  attendance,  i.e.,  are  numbered 
I,  2,  3,  etc. 

In  the  Baptist  Temple  Bible  School,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
the  class  in  the  Intermediate  Department  having  the  best 
percentage  for  church  attendance  gets  a  banner;  and  in 
the  Junior  Department  a  flag. 

In  some  systems  of  marking,  attendance  on  one  of  the 
Sabbath  services  of  the  church  is  necessary  for  securing 
a  "perfect  mark"  in  the  Sunday-school.^ 

The  plan  originated  by  the  Rev.  Byron  H.  Stauffer 
of  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
has  been  variously  modified  by  other  workers,  and  as  ex- 
plained by  the  Rev.  Frederick  Campbell,  Sc.D.,  of  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  is  as  follows :  Let  the  pastor  give  out  cloth- 
covered  tickets  like  the  one  on  the  following  page,  cover- 
ing the  dated  Sabbaths  of  a  certain  period,  and,  after 
addressing  the  Sunday-school  on  the  duty  and  privilege 
of  church  attendance,  personally  go  through  the  school 
and  place  one  ticket  in  the  hands  of  each  individual, 
young  and  old,  scholar  and  teacher.      This  brings  the 

*  See  Chapter  IX.,  on  Ways  of  Securing  Regular  and  Punctual 
Attendance  and  Perfect  Records. 

i88 


WAYS  OF  SECURING  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE 


1                  8                  15                  22                 29 
March. 

n 

3 

B 
3 

WESTMINSTER   GOTO-CHURCH    BAND, 
Broolyn,  N.  Y. 

> 

2. 

5 

1903-THIRD   TERM. 

Fifteett  Sunday  mornings'  attendance  at 
Church  admits  to  Tune  Festival. 

pastor  into  personal  touch  with  each  in  the  matter  of  an 
invitation  to  come  regularly  to  church  Sabbath  morn- 
ings. Many  will  not  use  the  cards,  but  never  mind.  Let 
the  younger  ones,  up  to  sixteen  years  old,  who  are  found 
to  be  using  them  regularly  be  enrolled,  and  each  Sabbath 
the  roll  be  marked  as  they  present  their  tickets  for  the 
punching  out  of  the  dates  at  the  entrance  of  the  church. 
Then  let  the  roll  be  constantly  displayed,  so  that  it  will 
be  a  stimulus  to  faithful  attendance,  as  absences  are  likely 
to  be  noticed.  Have  a  perfectly  faithful  boy  as  "ticket 
inspector,"  armed  with  a  ticket  punch,  at  each  door;  he 
must  show  no  favors ;  have  another  faithful  person  mark 
the  roll.  Each  ticket  should  be  numbered,  when  it  is 
found  who  are  using  the  tickets,  and  similar  numbers 
should  be  placed  against  the  name  on  the  roll.  This  will 
facilitate  rapid  work  in  marking  the  roll  as  the  children 
arrive,  perhaps  in  a  crowd.  The  absences  allowed  each 
term  are  ordinarily  ample  to  meet  experiences  of  sickness ; 
if  a  child  avails  himself  of  this  absence  allowance  for 
merely  selfish  purposes,  and  then  must  be  additionally 
absent  by  reason  of  sickness,  he  has  lost  his  prize.  Be 
strict,  yet  not  merciless.  Set  aside  certain  pews  for  the 
use  of  the  children,  and  have  the  Junior  Committee  of  the 

189 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Christian  Endeavor  Society  sit  with  them  and  watch  over 
them.  But  where  parents  attend,  have  the  children  sit 
with  them,  that  the  idea  of  the  family  and  of  the  family 
pew  may  be  cultivated  in  the  house  of  God.  Do  not  nec- 
essarily preach  to  the  children  each  Sabbath,  but  throw  in 
an  occasional  illustration  for  their  benefit,  also  allude  to 
them  in  prayer,  thus  making  them  conscious  of  the  rec- 
ognition of  their  presence.  Very  early  in  each  term  bring 
the  children  forward  and  have  a  demonstration,  perhaps 
accompanied  with  a  children's  special  hymn.  The  sight 
will  impress  and  move  the  people ;  address  the  people  con- 
cerning them,  and  address  them  concerning  what  they 
have  undertaken.  As  for  the  reward,  at  the  close  of  the 
first  term  in  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  Sunday-school 
the  successful  ones  were  taken  to  Glen  Island  by  steamer ; 
at  the  close  of  the  second  term  they  were  taken  to  a  res- 
taurant and  given  hot  chocolate,  and  then  given  a  sleigh- 
ride  to  Prospect  Park  and  Coney  Island  Boulevard ;  at  the 
close  of  the  third  term,  admittance  to  the  June  festival 
was  the  reward. 

As  for  the  results.  Dr.  Campbell  says:  "It  has  revo- 
lutionized my  morning  congregation.  When  I  came  here 
I  could  hardly  count  six  children  at  morning  service. 
Now  I  have  ninety-three  children  up  to  sixteen  years  of 
age  enrolled  in  this  band.  They  are  not  only  sitting  in 
the  designated  seats,  but  they  are  all  over  the  church,  and 
the  order  is  so  excellent  as  to  be  commented  on  by  the 
older  people.  Their  voices  ring  out  in  song  very  beau- 
tifully. Moreover,  by  this  means  we  are  making  church- 
goers of  many  who  were  not  being  made  such  by  their 
parents,  and  whose  parents  in  many  cases  were  not  them- 
selves church-goers.  A  recent  examination  of  the  roll 
when  I  thought  it  contained  ninety  instead  of  ninety- 
three  names  showed  the  following  results :  Fifty  families 
are  represented  by  ninety  children.      Sixteen  of  these 

190 


WAYS  OF  SECURING  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE 

families  send  thirty-three  children  to  church  whose  par- 
ents, one  or  both,  are  members  of  our  church.  Thirty- 
four  families  send  fifty-six  children  to  church  whose 
parents,  neither  of  them,  are  members  of  nor  regular 
attendants  at  our  church." 

This  plan,  The  Church  Economist  says,  has  been  tried 
in  over  sixty  churches,  and  in  almost  every  case  with 
success. 

In  other  Sunday-schools  text-books  are  used,  in  which 
are  written  the  text  of  the  morning  sermon  at  the  home 
church  or  at  any  church  which  the  pupils  may  have  at- 
tended while  away  from  home.  All  who  are  faithful 
with  these  records  receive  books  at  Christmas  time. 
Where  text-books  are  not  used,  pupils  who  report  that 
they  have  attended  church  are  sometimes  asked  to  give 
the  text  of  the  sermon. 

In  the  North  Congregational  Sunday-school,  St.  Johns- 
bury,  Vt.,  the  pastor  distributes  cards  on  which  the  pupils 
mark  a  cross  each  time  they  attend  church.  And  at 
Christmas  time  Bibles  and  books  are  awarded  for  perfect 
attendance. 

The  Church  of  the  Covenant,  Chicago,  aims  for  more 
than  mere  attendance,  through  a  Department  of  Chris- 
tian Nurture,  ''designed  to  include  various  agencies  for 
the  methodical  inculcation  of  divine  truth,  with  special 
reference  to  young  people."  The  plan  of  ''sermon  out- 
lines" has  proven  a  valuable  aid  in  this  work,  the  purpose 
being  to  secure  not  only  attendance  upon  divine  worship, 
but  attention  to  the  sermon  as  a  part  of  the  worship ;  to 
fix  the  truths  presented  in  the  sermon  so  clearly  in  the 
minds  of  the  youthful  hearers  that  in  their  own  language 
they  can  re-state  those  truths;  and  to  cultivate  a  habit 
of  individual  appropriation  which  shall  be  lifelong  in  its 
influence.  The  outlines  are  written  by  pupils  and  handed 
in  for  criticism.      No  notes  are  allowed  to  be  taken  dur- 

191 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ing  the  sermon,  and  no  assistance  is  permitted  in  prepar- 
ing the  outhnes.  The  award  for  the  best  outHne  is  made 
by  committees  of  examination  composed  of  Sabbath- 
school  teachers.  The  writers  are  divided  into  four  ages 
— under  twelve  years,  between  twelve  and  fifteen,  be- 
tween fifteen  and  eighteen,  and  over  eighteen — and  each 
age  has  its  own  committee,  which  is  so  appointed  that  no 
teacher  is  called  upon  to  pass  on  the  book  of 
his  own  scholar.  The  books  appear  by  number  only, 
and  the  award  is  made  without  knowledge  of  the  names 
of  the  writers.  Impartiality  is  thus  effectually  secured, 
and  the  award  rests  upon  the  ground  of  merit  only.  Ac- 
cording to  the  rules  printed  in  each  book,  the  outline 
must  contain  the  text  and  the  Scripture  passage,  and  as 
accurately  as  possible  the  theme,  the  thought  and  the 
progress  of  the  sermon. 

Again,  we  need  to  know  the  church  status  of  every 
pupil.  Do  we?  Yet  we  are  supposed  to  be  faithful 
shepherds  and  bishops  of  souls !  The  following  is  a  sug- 
gestive plan: 


CLASSON  AVENUE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

SPECIAL  REPORT 

in  regard  to  the  Scholars  in  Class  No 

NUMBER. 

are  members  of  this  Church. 

are  tnembers  of  other  Churches. 

were  baptized  in  Infancy. 

attend  services  in  the  Church. 

are  members  of  V.  P.  S.  C.  E. 

Teacher. 

Dated, tgo 


Whatever  our  method,  we  must  remember  that  the  en- 

192 


WAYS  OF  SECURING  CHURCH  ATTENDANCE 

couraging  of  church  attendance  by  personal  interest  and 
example  is  more  important  than  rewards  and  honor  rolls 
or  admonitions.  Our  example  as  teachers  and  Christian 
workers,  and  our  personal  care  of  the  pupils  as  individ- 
uals, are  more  persuasive  than  words  and  "marks."  A 
child  at  first  does  not  go  to  church  from  the  abstract  rea- 
son that  it  is  right ;  but  a  child  is  mightily  influenced  be- 
cause others  go.  What  we  are  and  do  is  tremendous  in 
its  influence  above  what  we  say  and  admonish  others 
to  do. 

3.  But  along  with  "marks,"  personal  interest,  encour- 
agement and  personal  example,  we  need  to  indoctrinate 
our  youth  in  the  offices  of  the  Church  and  its  place  as  the 
great  agency  which  God  has  placed  here  for  the  work  of 
His  Kingdom,  and  in  their  privilege  and  duty  in  the 
Church!  Only  so  and  by  the  Spirit  of  life  as  it  is  in 
Christ  can  we  place  our  youth  upon  a  rock  and  make 
them  pillars  in  the  temple  of  our  God,  even  those  that 
will  abide  forever. 


193 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH   SPECIAL  SERVICES 

A  STRONG  aid  in  rendering  a  real  service,  and  in  opening 
the  way  to  a  larger  one,  is  that  of  the  observance  of  cer- 
tain days  by  special  and  appropriate  services. 

I.  Rally  Day  holds  first  place  in  the  calendar  of  such 
days.  It  is  variously  called  Rally  Day,  Roll-call  Day, 
Reunion  Day,  Home-coming  Day,  but  with  one  meaning : 
the  rallying  in  an  annual  gathering,  at  the  usual  Sunday- 
school  hour  of  a  day  appointed,  of  pupils  after  the  (sum- 
mer or  vacation)  time  when  scholars  and  teachers  have 
been   separated. 

The  North  Baptist  School,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  has  Re- 
union Day  in  the  fall ;  and  Rally  Day  earlier  in  the  year, 
when  scholars  and  teachers  may  be  prone  to  grow  care- 
less, to  inspire  them  with  fresh  enthusiasm.  Usually, 
however,  but  one  Rally  Day  is  observed  by  schools,  and 
that  generally  in  the  fall. 

The  First  Baptist  School  of  Waterloo,  la.,  does  a 
splendid  work  through  what  it  calls  ''Rally  Week."  On 
Monday  this  special  invitation  is  addressed  to  scholars : 


Waterloo,  Iowa,  Oct,  21,  1901. 


You  are  especially  invited  to  a  Rally  of  the  First 

Baptist     Sunday-school    at o'clock,     Sunday, 

October  2yth,  ijt  the  fiewly  decorated  church.  This 
card  is  sent  you  because  I  do  wartt you  to  come,  and 
shall  look  for  you  in  the  class. 

Rejnetnber  the  Social  Enter taimnetit  at  the  church 
071  Wednesday  evening  from  7  to  8:^0. 


194 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

These  invitations  are  mailed  through  special  ''post- 
offices,"  arranged  in  the  various  districts  in  which  the 
members  of  the  school  live,  where  they  call  to  receive 
mail  at  certain  hours:  in  the  morning  before  school,  at 
noon,  and  after  school  till  six  o'clock.  As  they  receive 
their  mail  they  give  the  name  and  address  of  their  teacher, 
and  their  own  names  are  checked  off  by  the  Sunday- 
school  postmistress,  who  notifies  the  teacher  if  any  mem- 
ber of  a  class  fails  to  appear. 

During  Monday,  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  the  teach- 
ers visit  their  scholars  in  their  homes,  and  hold  at  least 
one  class  gathering.  Private  letters  to  the  scholars  are 
also  written  by  the  teachers  and  sent  out  on  Friday. 

On  Wednesday  a  card  is  sent  out  giving  the  programme 
for  the  week:  a  social  on  Wednesday  evening;  a  prayer 
and  praise  service  Thursday  evening ;  a  Rally  Bible  Study 
class  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  auditorium  Friday;  while  Sat- 
urday is  reserved  for  preparation  for  the  Sunday  Rally 
service.  The  special  feature  of  this  service  is  the  Cradle 
Roll  Reception  and  Dedicatory  Prayer.  The  roll  of  the 
members  of  that  department  is  called  by  the  superintend- 
ent, and  some  representative  of  the  family,  usually  the 
mother,  comes  forward  with  the  baby.  The  superintend- 
ent gives  a  short  address  of  welcome,  and  the  pastor  offers 
the  prayer.  The  class  reunion  gives  the  teachers  an  oppor- 
tunity to  meet  their  scholars,  to  enroll  new  members,  re- 
organize the  class  and  outline  the  work  for  the  future. 
The  young  people's  service  of  Rally  Week  is  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Sunday-school,  as  is  also  the  Sunday 
evening  service  of  the  church. 

When  Rally  Day  is  confined  to  the  service  of  the  Sab- 
bath, work  must  yet  be  done  if  the  effort  is  to  be  success- 
ful. In  the  successful  schools,  printed  invitation  cards 
for  the  day  are  regarded  as  a  necessary  part  of  the  prep- 
aration,  care   being   exercised   that   no   member   of   the 

195 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

school  be  omitted.     Such  invitation  cards  are  freely  used 
also  a-mong  strangers : 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  OF  THE   FIRST   BAPTIST  CHURCH 

Extends  to  you  a  most  cordial  invitation  to  attend  its 
s-essions  ifmnediately  following  the  preaching  service 
euch  Sunday  moriiing  fro7n  11.4s  to  12.^0. 

Yoti  are  invited  especially  to  be  present  next  Sun- 
day, October  6,  our  ''Rally  Day""  following  the  vaca- 
tion period.  This  would  be  a  very  favorable  time  for 
those  who  have  not  been  with  us  regularly  of  late  to 
join  our  school,  as  all  the  classes  begin  a  new  series 
of  lesson  studies  next  Sunday. 

Please  accept  this  as  a  personal  invitation,  and  be 
assured  of  a  hearty  welcotne  for  yourself  and  any 
friends  you  7nay  britig  with  you. 

CoNroRD,  N.  H.,  October  4,  1903. 


Not  a  few  schools  give  invitations  to  Rally  Day  ser- 
vices by  the  use  of  printed  or  mimeographed  postal  cards, 
signed  by  the  superintendent,  and  sometimes  also  by  the 
class  teacher. 

The  programme  for  Rally  Day  may  be  the  usual  school 
programme,  including  a  roll  call  of  members,  and  with 
special  music  and  addresses.  There  is  always  fresh  im- 
petus and  enthusiasm  through  such  service  and  the  at- 
tendance of  the  school  en  masse. 

An  address  on  the  general  topic  of  study  for  the  ensu- 
ing year  is  always  appropriate  and  helpful. 

In  the  Baptist  Temple  Bible  School,  Brooklyn,  part  of 
the  Rally  Day  programme  is  the  pinning  of  a  blue  ribbon 
on  each  one  present,  as  a  token  of  loyalty  to  the  work 
for  the  coming  year. 

2.  Children's  Day  is  another  special  day  that  is  gen- 
erally observed.  This  is  the  day  when  the  members  of 
the  school  are  encouraged  to  do  their  part  in  spreading 
Sunday-schools  over  the  country.     Frequently  the  morn- 

196 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

ing  service  of  the  church  is  devoted  to  this  special  work, 
with  exercises  by  the  school  or  with  a  sermon  for  the  chil- 
dren and  attendant  appropriate  exercises.  When  the 
day's  programme  is  confined  to  the  session  of  the  Sun- 
day-school, helpful  suggestions  for  the  service  may  be 
obtained  from  any  one  of  the  publishing  houses  of  the 
several  denominations. 

3.  Graduation  Day,  or  a  day  for  the  awarding  of  di- 
plomas, giving  of  rewards,  reading  the  Roll  of  Honor, 
etc.,  is  another  red-letter  day.  Children's  Day  and  Rally 
Day  are  used  for  this  purpose,  though  some  schools  mark 
the  importance  of  such  features  of  the  work  through  set- 
ting aside  a  special  day  for  their  observance.  In  the 
Bethel  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  East  Orange,  N.  J., 
the  graduating  exercises  are  held  on  the  last  Sunday  of 
each  year,  when  the  pupils  from  the  Primary  Department 
are  publicly  examined  and  admitted  into  the  Intermedi- 
ate Department.  The  pupils  from  the  Intermediate  in 
their  turn  are  examined  in  a  course  of  lessons  and  exer- 
cises which  they  have  been  taught  during  the  year,  and 
admitted  to  the  Main  Department  of  the  school.  Cer- 
tificates are  furnished  to  each  class,  and  prizes  are  awarded 
for  regular  attendance  during  the  year. 

4.  Parents'  Day.  In  addition  to  these  days  specially 
for  the  members  of  the  school,  there  is  a  beautiful  custom 
of  observing  Parents'  Day,  a  time  set  apart  for  the  par- 
ents and  grown  people,  when  special  effort  is  made  to 
have  them  present  in  the  school,  that  their  interest  may 
be  stimulated  in  all  its  work,  as  also  in  the  special  work 
for  their  children. 

The  Washington  Street  Congregational  School,  To- 
ledo, Ohio,  regards  Easter,  Children's  Day,  Rally  Day 
and  Reception  Day  as  "Parents'  Days";  and  this  gives 
us  the  helpful  suggestion  of  regarding  all  special  days 
as  Parents'  Days. 

197 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  Brick  Church,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  gives  special  invi- 
tations to  parents  for  such  services. 


PARENTS'   DAY. 


Children's  Day  we  celebrate  in  the  Sunday-school  in  June  each 
year ;  but  there  is  a  new  day  we  propose  to  celebrate.  It  is  called 
Parents'  Day.     It  will  be  observed  in  the 

BRICK   CHURCH   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Fitzhugh  Street,  cor.  Allen,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Sunday,  April  26,  1903,  at  12  o'clock,  noon. 

Mr.  and  Mrs 

Dear  Friends:  We  earnestly  desire  that  the 
parents  of  every  scholar  in  our  Sunday-school  shall 
be  present  at  the  exercises  of  Parents'  Day,  Sunday, 
April  26th,  front  12  to  i  o'clock. 

You  are  most  cordially  invited  ajtd  tirged  to  come. 

Ushers  will  meet  you  at  the  door  and  show  you  to 
good  seats,  Come  even  if  you  cati  stay  only  a  part  of 
the  hour. 

Teacher. 

W.  R.  Taylor,  Pastor.  G.  B.  F.  Hallock,  Superintendent. 


A  plan  varying  somewhat  from  the  above,  and  having 
a  helpful  suggestion,  is  expressed  in  the  following  card : 


Dear  Mr 

Believing  you    are    interested   in    the    work    of 

Calvary  Baptist  Sunday-school,  of  which  your 

7ne7nber     ,  we  cordially 

invite  you  to  visit  the  Intermediate  Department,  in 
the  Sunday-school  house,  on  Parents'  Day,  Sunday, 
December  2,  1900. 

A  hearty  welcome  awaits  you  at  any  ti7ne  during 
the  session  from  p.jo  to  10.^0  a.7n. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Mrs.  C.  E.  MOWER,  Asso.  Supt. 

Miss  SARAH  E.  WHITE,  Assistant. 
New  York  City, 

198 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

5.  "Old  Folks'  Day"  is  familiar  to  us,  and  dear  to  us 
— surely  a  gracious  idea;  the  service  being  for  the  aged 
people  who  cannot  often  come  to  the  services  of  the 
church. 

On  the  front  page  of  a  recent  programme  for  "Old 
Folks'  Day"  in  the  Bethany  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Philadelphia,  is  the  picture  of  President  McKinley's 
mother.  Under  this  is  a  list  of  the  aged  people  of  the 
church  with  their  ages.  On  the  last  page  is  a  list  of  aged 
invalids  who  are  unable  to  attend  the  services,  their 
names  and  addresses  being  given.  The  songs  in  the 
programme  are  old  favorites ;  and  on  the  last  page  of  the 
programme  is  this  beautiful  poem  for  the  aged : 

GROWING  OLD 

The  tallest  lilies  droop  at  eventide. 
The  sweetest  roses  fall  from  off  the  stem; 

The  rarest  thing  on  earth  cannot  abide, 
And  we  are  passing,  too,  away  like  them; 
We're  growing  old. 

We  had  our  dreams,  those  rosy  dreams  of  youth ; 

They  faded,  and  'twas  well.     This  after-prime 
Hath  brought  us  fuller  hopes;  and  yet  for  both 

We  drop  a  tear  now  in  this  later  time 
To  think  we're  old. 

We  smile  at  those  poor  fancies  of  the  past — 
A  saddened  smile,  almost  akin  to  pain ; 

Those  high  desires,  those  purposes  so  vast. 
Ah,  poor  hearts  !    They  cannot  come  again ! 
To  think  we're  old. 

Old?     Well,  the  heavens  are  old;  this  earth  is,  too; 

Old  wine  is  best,  matures!  fruit  most  sweet; 
Much  have  we  lost,  more  gained,  although  'tis  true 
We  tread  life's  way  with  most  uncertain  feet, 
We're  growing  old. 
199 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

We  move  along,  and  scatter  as  we  pace 
Soft  graces,  tender  hopes  on  every  hand ; 

At  last,  with  gray-streaked  hair  and  hollow  face, 
We  step  across  the  bound'ry  of  the  land 
Where  none  are  old. 

6.  Special  days  common  to  old  and  young.  Christ- 
mas, Easter,  Independence  Day,  Thanksgiving  and  New 
Year's  Day  are  days  that  belong  to  all,  older  people  and 
children  alike,  members  of  the  Church  and  people  outside 
of  the  Church.  In  many  Sunday-schools  Christmas  and 
Thanksgiving  are  days  when  the  children  are  taught  the 
value  of  the  privilege  of  giving. 

In  the  Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Phil- 
adelphia, the  idea  of  making  the  Christmas  anniversary 
a  time  when  the  scholars  should  receive  anything  from 
the  Sunday-school  was  abandoned  years  ago.  The  great 
point  of  the  Christmas  service  in  this  school  is  the  privi- 
lege of  giving.  The  first  opportunity  is  the  dropping 
of  an  apple  or  a  potato  into  barrels  which  stand  at  every 
door  the  evening  of  the  Christmas  service.  Then  tur- 
keys, vegetables,  groceries,  and  everything  that  can  pos- 
sibly be  brought  into  the  church  are  brought  that  night 
by  classes  and  scholars  and  are  piled  up  when  called  for 
on  the  platform  and  pulpit,  making  a  tremendous  object 
lesson  by  the  time  they  are  all  presented.  Money,  of 
course,  is  brought  at  this  time,  and  articles  that  cannot 
be  carried  to  the  church,  such  as  tons  of  coal  and  the  like, 
are  reported  on  the  class  lists,  which  are  read  out  by 
the  superintendent  at  this  time.  All  the  funds  and  pro- 
visions are  then  turned  over  to  the  church  visiting  com- 
mittee, which  sees  that  they  are  properly  disposed  of 
throughout  the  needy  poor  of  the  community.  Some 
classes  which  prefer  to  give  their  offerings  directly  to  a 
church  family  or  a  hospital,  of  course  have  the  privi- 
lege of  doing  this.     But  in  most  cases  the  provisions  are 

2CX) 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

disposed  of  by  the  visiting  committee,  who  best  know  the 
needs  of  the  community. 

A  similar  idea  is  set  forth  in  the  following  letter  of  in- 
vitation : 


BETHANY  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 


Philadelphia,  Dece?nber  22,  igo2. 
To  the  Fathers  and  Mothers,  and  the 
Merry-Hearted  Boys  and  Girls  : 

Happy  Christmas  Greetings. 

You  are  cordially  invited  to  come  and  be  glad 
around  our  Christinas  tree,  on  Friday  Evening, 
Decejnber  26th,  in  the  Sunday-school  Hall. 

The  joy  bells  will  ring  longer  and  sweeter  in  the 
heart  of  every  one  that  brings  a  gift,  however  slight, 
to  gladden  some  one  less  favored. 

You  may  like  to  bring  an  apple,  or  a  potato,  or 
so7ne  sugar  or  tea,  sojne  coffee  or  caftned  fruit  or 
cereals.  The  door-men  will  receive  these  things  as 
you  etiter  the  hall. 

Wishing  you  a  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy 
New  Year,  I  am.  Yours  lovingly, 

A.  S.  HARLOW. 


In  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  which  believes  in  the  children  having  the 
joy  of  receiving  at  Christmas  time,  on  Saturday  after- 
noon preceding  Christmas  the  members  of  the  Primary 
class  and  their  fathers  and  mothers  are  invited  to  the 
chapel,  where  a  Christmas  tree  awaits  them.  The  par- 
ents are  invited  to  send  in  one  present  only.  If  any  child 
has  not  been  provided  for  by  the  parents,  a  reserve  supply 
furnishes  each  child  with  something.  A  bag  of  candy 
also  is  usually  given  to  each  pupil. 

Sometimes  the  giving  and  receiving  are  combined,  the 
scholars  bringing  gifts  for  other  schools  or  less  favored 
children,  and  receiving  from  their  teachers  some  small 
remembrance. 

201 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  Thanksgiving,  or  Harvest  Home,  festival  is  essen- 
tially a  time  for  sharing  the  good  things  of  life  with 
others.  On  all  special  days  appropriate  decorations  are 
used  more  or  less ;  and  at  the  Harvest  Home  festival  the 
colors  of  autumn  are  represented,  not  merely  by  foliage 
and  berries,  but  also  by  the  rich  coloring  of  the 
vegetables  which  are  to  be  distributed  after  the  ser- 
vice among  those  who  most  need  them  or  to 
whom  they  will  represent  the  thoughtfulness  of  the  school. 
No  other  appeal  ever  meets  with  a  more  joyous  or  gen- 
erous response  than  the  request  for  fruits  and  vegetables, 
bread  and  flowers,  or  for  any  of  God's  great  food  gifts 
to  earth.  Older  members  of  the  church,  as  well  as 
younger  members  of  the  school,  delight  themselves  in  this 
service,  which  is  usually  held  at  the  hour  of  the  Sabbath 
morning  worship,  with  a  special  sermon  by  the  pastor 
and  some  simple  exercises  by  the  school,  the  latter,  per- 
haps, being  confined  to  singing.  Those  schools — how- 
ever poor  in  this  world's  wealth — that  have  never  held 
such  a  service  will  need  to  try  but  once  to  find  it  possible, 
and  to  find  surprise,  too,  in  the  generous  gifts  of  pota- 
toes, turnips,  carrots,  cabbages,  corn,  pumpkins,  celery, 
onions  and  other  things  that  make  **good  dishes,"  and 
that  can  be  made  to  brighten  and  strengthen  many  homes. 
This  festival  service,  too,  is  one  that  beautifully  develops 
the  spirit  of  giving. 


NEW  YEAR'S  FESTIVAL  AND  POUND  PARTY 

FOR  THE 

NORTH  AVENUE  BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Monday  Evening,  December  29,   1902. 


Doors  Open  at  6.30.  Refreshments  at  7.00. 

Entertainment  at  7.45. 


Please  bring  one  or  more  pounds  of  groceries,  vegetables,  or  clothing 
for  the  needy  of  our  city. 

202 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

The  North  Avenue  Baptist  Church  of  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  holds  a  festival  and  pound  party  on  New  Year's 
Day,  announcement  of  which  is  made  by  card,  such  as 
appears  on  the  preceding  page.  The  donations  at  this 
time  are  used  by  the  church  committee  among  needy  fami- 
lies during  the  winter  and  spring. 

Again,  New  Year's  Day  is  made  a  time  for  social  inter- 
course. The  First  Baptist  Sunday-school  of  Waterloo, 
la.,  holds  New  Year's  receptions,  with  entertainment, 
through  the  afternoon  and  evening.  Hours  are  men- 
tioned on  the  invitation  programmes  that  children  of 
about  the  same  age  may  attend  at  the  same  time. 

Where  the  day  is  not  observed  with  a  social  or  enter- 
tainment, a  pleasant  custom  with  some  is  that  of  sending 
out  cards  with  New  Year's  greetings  to  the  members  of 
the  school. 

Easter  must  ever  stand  at  the  centre  of  our  Christian 
teaching,  even  as  it  is  at  the  centre  of  our  most  blessed 
hope.  Is  there  a  day  of  the  year  so  welcome  as  Easter? 
so  full  of  assurance  and  joy?  coming  as  it  does  with 
birds  and  flowers,  and  with  its  message  of  victory  and 
immortality!  It  is  the  day  that  gives  meaning  to  other 
days,  and  meaning  to  life;  and  that  gives  challenge  to 
death  and  the  grave!  Old  and  young  rejoice  in  this 
day,  and  the  school  that  does  not  make  much  of  it,  and 
the  most  of  it,  must  be  slow,  indeed,  and  veiled  of  heart. 
For  programmes  and  suggestions  for  this  day,  schools 
cannot  do  better  than  apply  to  the  publishing  houses  of 
their  respective  denominations,  where  printed  order  of 
services  can  be  secured  as  desired. 

Independence  Day,  or  the  Sabbath  preceding  the 
"Fourth,"  aflfords  opportunity  for  a  patriotic  service  with 
less  noise  than  that  of  the  politicians,  and  a  service  doubt- 
less more  sane  and  helpful. 

For  such  service  in  the  Sunday-school,  the  programmes, 
203 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


the  decorations,  the  invitations,  all  can  be  of  a  stirring 
and  pleasing  character.  A  principle  to  be  remembered 
in  this  service,  and  in  every  service,  is  to  do  our  very  best 
to  make  the  service  as  strong  and  interesting  and  pleas- 
ing as  possible,  and  to  extend  the  notice  of  the  service, 
that  the  attendance  may  be  as  large  as  possible. 

The  First  Church  Sunday-school,  Burlington,  Vt.,  is- 
sued a  beautiful  card  in  colored  inks,  bearing  announce- 
ment of  Independence  Day  service : 

THE 

**GOOD  CITIZENSHIP" 

PSALM. 


P8ALM  16.rr 


On  the  reverse  side  is  a  cordial  invitation  to  the  special 
service,  signed  by  the  superintendent  of  the  school. 

The  North  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Camden,  N.  J.,  gave 
out  a  beautiful  booklet  one  year,  with  the  cover  in  the 
form  and  colors  of  the  American  flag,  and  with  informa- 
tion in  the  book  regarding  the  wealth  of  the  State  and 
the  religious  statistics  of  State  and  city,  with  a  brief  his- 
tory of  the  church.     On  another  Independence  Day  ser- 

204 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

vice  a  beautiful  silk  flag  was  given  by  the  church  to  the 
school,  and  it  has  been  suspended  in  the  main  auditorium 
ever  since  then.  On  the  same  day  each  one  in  the  school 
session  received  a  flag,  'The  Star-Spangled  Banner"  was 
sung,  and  a  thousand  persons  stood  as  each  waved  a 
flag  in  the  chorus.  What  a  beautiful  sight!  What  an 
impressive  lesson  of  patriotism!  What  common  enthu- 
siasm !  What  better  could  develop  esprit  de  corps  in  a 
school?  We  are  not  surprised  that  this  is  one  of  the 
services  most  largely  attended  of  any  during  the  year  in 
the  North  Baptist  School. 

7.     Miscellaneous  special  days. 

The  annual  picnic  or  outing  is  a  festival  day  that  no 
school,  however  small,  can  afford  to  omit  from  its  calen- 
dar. Such  occasions  mean  much  to  the  children,  and  much 
to  some  parents  who  find  refreshment  and  joy  in  the  re- 
laxation and  pleasure  of  this  one  day's  outing.  Such 
days,  too,  open  the  way  for  closer  association  of  teachers, 
pupils  and  parents,  and  enable  us  to  teach  that  the  Chris- 
tian religion  is  not  all  solemn  study,  that  the  blessed  God 
desires  to  pour  into  our  lives,  as  He  has  poured  into  His 
world,  joy  and  sunshine,  strength  and  gladness,  song  and 
fragrance,  and  all  that  is  needful  to  make  life  one  of 
hope  and  cheer. 

The  spirit  and  purpose  of  the  annual  outing  day  of  the 
school  may  find  expression  in  other  ways  and  seasons : 
through  teachers  having  an  **at  home"  for  their  classes,  or 
going  with  them  to  the  woods,  or  to  the  city  park,  or  for  a 
trolley  ride.  There  are  many  things  that  can  be  done  that 
will  at  once  strengthen  bodies,  brighten  minds  and  endear 
pupils  to  their  school.  The  Primary  Department  of  the 
North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cambridge,  Mass., 
on  a  Saturday  afternoon  in  June  gather  on  the  church 
lawn  for  games  and  a  social  time.  Special  invitations 
are  sent  to  the  babies  and  their  mothers.      The  Interme- 

205 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

diate  and  Main  Departments  have  similar  days.  In  some 
schools  the  young  men  never  fail  of  "camping  out"  for 
a  season  in  the  summer,  being  accompanied  by  their 
teacher,  superintendent  or  pastor. 

Entertainments,  stereopticon  lectures  and  concerts  for 
the  purpose  of  bringing  together  the  pupils  and  the  older 
people  for  social  purposes,  or  as  a  special  treat  just  for 
the  school,  is  a  good  plan.  In  our  entertainments  we 
can  at  once  avoid  the  harmful  and  the  vulgar,  and  give 
the  school  an  evening's  good  laugh  and  royal  good  time. 
What  is  more  innocent  and  amusing  than  'Tunch  and 
Judy,"  or  a  good  humorist  and  impersonator,  or  an  even- 
ing of  legerdemain?  Again,  the  reading  of  some  play, 
in  which  the  parts  are  largely  taken  by  older  mem- 
bers of  the  school,  is  of  interest.  Such  entertainments 
should,  of  course,  be  interspersed  with  others  of  a  dif- 
ferent nature,  but  none  should  be  so  "serious"  as  to  fail 
to  entertain,  which  is  the  purpose  of  these  evenings.  The 
entertainments,  too,  should  not  be  so  frequent  as  to  seem 
common  or  prove  a  burden.  The  Spring  Street  Presby- 
terian Church,  New  York,  has  had  the  habit  for  years 
of  giving  an  entertainment,  concert,  or  stereopticon  lec- 
ture to  the  school  as  often  as  once  a  month.  Such  en- 
tertainments are  always  free. 

To  magnify  the  privileges  of  pupils,  some  entertain- 
ments are  given  to  which  only  members  of  the  school 
are  admitted,  no  one  else  being  admitted  on  any  pretext 
or  consideration  whatsoever.  At  other  times  pupils  are 
given  two  or  more  extra  tickets  for  the  use  of  parents 
or  friends.  Such  is  one  way  of  showing  regard  for  the 
social  interests  of  our  youth.  We  can  then  save  them 
from  much  that  they  ought  not  to  do,  temper  their  social 
energies,  and  meet  their  immediate  need  of  a  social  good 
time, — a  need  that  has  been  divinely  implanted.  Hap- 
pily, modern  psychology  makes  it  clear  that  our  duty  is 

206 


SPECIAL  DAYS  WITH  SPECIAL  SERVICES 

to  meet  that  need,  and  makes  it  clear  also  that  the  "play 
periods"  are  exercises  for  the  development  of  lives,  and 
serve  as  a  ladder  for  higher  stages  of  development  and 
cultivation. 

8.  In  the  request  of  children  to  take  part  in  a  Sunday- 
school  entertainment,  discriminating  judgment  must  be 
shown.  The  pupils  of  the  church  school  are  usually  pu- 
pils of  the  day  school,  with  the  burdens  of  lessons  and 
study.  Our  requirements  of  Bible  study,  too,  are  (or 
ought  to  be)  considerable.  We  must  not,  therefore,  ask 
too  much ;  nor  should  we  repeatedly  ask  the  same  ones 
to  the  exclusion  of  others. 

In  the  First  Westminster  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Keokuk,  la.,  the  Primary  classes  are  given  most  of  the 
programme  in  public  exercises ;  the  school  believing  that 
little  children  are  most  appreciated  in  public.  And  this 
plan  prevails  with  many  schools.  There  is  much  to  be 
said  in  its  favor :  the  freedom  of  little  ones  from  other  du- 
ties, the  unconscious  age  that  makes  their  appearance  a 
pleasure  and  free  from  any  nervous  strain,  and  the  satis- 
faction of  older  people  in  their  efforts. 

The  superintendent  of  the  Belleville  Congregational 
Church,  Newburyport,  Mass.,  Mr.  George  A.  Dickey, 
makes  a  point  that  is  not  always  considered,  in  saying, 
**We  do  not  have  children  take  individual  parts  to  any 
extent.  We  use  groups.  We  do  not  like  to  make  the 
child  conspicuous." 

9.  Such  are  some  of  the  means  of  showing  our  heart 
interest  in  the  members  of  our  Sunday-schools,  and  in 
their  homes  and  friends;  thus,  the  way  is  opened  for  a 
larger  service,  and,  we  trust,  for  leading  them  by  love, 
that  gift  divine,  into  the  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  the 
joyous  service  of  His  Kingdom.  How  earnest  should 
be  our  prayer  that  we  may  be  as  "wise  as  serpents  and 
harmless  as  doves." 

207 


CHAPTER  XIV 


OFFERINGS 


Our  teaching  is  incomplete  unless  it  include  the  duty  and 
the  privilege  of  giving,  the  bringing  of  our  offering  as  a 
part  of  our  worship  for  the  great  work  of  the  Kingdom. 
This  teaching  should  be  so  thorough  that  the  necessity 
and  joy  of  giving  be  ingrained  in  all  our  youth.  Their 
systematic  gifts  are  of  value  far  beyond  the  immediate 
value  of  the  gifts  themselves.  It  is  the  habit  of  giving 
in  youth  that  lives  on  to  old  age.  The  spirit  of  giving 
is  required  also  by  the  true  spirit  of  worship.  Parents 
cannot  do  all  things  for  children, — cannot  sing  for  them, 
worship  for  them,  repent  for  them,  wholly  pray  for  them, 
neither  can  they  give  for  them.  No  one  thing  is  more 
helpful  in  developing  the  spirit  of  devotion  and  in  re- 
vealing the  claims  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  upon  all  things 
secular  and  sacred  than  the  teaching  of  God's  require- 
ment of  our  systematic  offerings.  "Upon  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store  as 
God  hath  prospered  him."  ^  How,  then,  inculcate  the 
beautiful  spirit  of  giving,  the  importance  of  each  hav- 
ing a  share,  and  thus  maintaining  a  sustained  interest  in 
systematic  contribution  ? 

I.  Ways  of  inculcating  the  spirit  of  giving.  A  plan 
which  is  being  increasingly  adopted  is  that  of  the  envelope 
system  for  the  offerings  of  all  members  of  the  school 
above  the  Primary  Department;  envelopes  being  given 
for  the  usual  weekly  offerings,  also  for  the  Missionary 
^  I  Cor.  i6 :  2. 
208 


OFFERINGS 

and  Birthday  offerings,  the  envelopes  being  lettered  with 
the  name  of  the  church,  also  bearing  the  class  number, 
and  in  some  instances  with  a  blank  line  for  the  name  of 
the  contributor.  As  a  part  of  this  system,  some  schools 
have  a  ''Contribution  Card"  for  the  signature  of  pupils 
at  the  commencement  of  each  fiscal  year,  bearing  the  sim- 
ple pledge,  "I  intend  to  give  to  the  Sunday-school  each 
week  the  amount  placed  opposite  my  name." 

The  Central  Christian  Bible-school,  Lexington,  Ky., 
finds  that  the  envelope  system  trains  the  pupils  to  con- 
tribute regularly  every  week,  and  helps  to  form  the  habit 
so  necessary  on  the  part  of  church  members.  The  church 
financial  secretary  says,  "Every  child  from  the  Sunday- 
school  becomes  a  regular  contributor  to  the  church." 

In  the  Olivet  Sunday-school,  New  York,  two  envelopes 
are  used :  one  being  marked  "confidential,"  in  which  offi- 
cers and  teachers  place  their  gifts  for  the  support  of  the 
school ;  the  other  being  for  the  missionary  offering  of  offi- 
cers, teachers  and  scholars,  no  portion  of  which  is  used 
in  the  school  or  church.  Though  the  members  of  the 
school  are  mostly  poor,  the  missionary  offering  amounted 
last  year  to  nearly  thirteen  hundred  dollars. 

A  similar  plan  is  that  of  the  North  Baptist  Sunday- 
school  of  Camden,  N.  J.  This  school  maintains  two 
funds,  the  Sustaining  Fund  and  the  Benevolent  Fund. 
The  Sustaining  Fund  is  contributed  to  every  week,  and 
the  Benevolent  Fund  every  month,  although  weekly  offer- 
ings to  the  latter  are  encouraged.  Each  class  uses  two 
small  bags  for  the  offerings,  the  smaller  one  for  the  benev- 
olent offering,  the  larger  one  for  the  sustaining  fund  and 
the  Sunday-school  register.  The  distribution  of  these 
bags  to  the  various  classes  is  a  part  of  the  opening  exer- 
cises, and  the  bags  are  filled  and  made  up  at  the  teacher's 
convenience  before  lesson  study.  All  the  regular  school 
expenses  are  met  from  the  Sustaining  Fund,  and  a  cer- 

209 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

tain  amount  is  paid  annually  to  the  Musical  Directory, 
which  has  charge  of  all  the  music  of  both  Sunday-school 
and  church.^ 

In  the  Brownell  Street  Baptist  Church,  Fall  River, 
Mass.,  where  the  class  envelopes  are  used,  the  secretary, 
in  reading  his  report,  gives  the  names  of  the  five  classes 
having  the  largest  collections,  but  the  amounts  of  the 
collections  are  not  given,  thus  leaving  the  amount  suf- 
ficient to  be  one  of  the  highest  unknown.  The  school 
reports  increased  collections  without  the  necessity  of  mak- 
ing direct  appeals  for  money.  This  is  one  of  the  very 
best  of  plans,  helpful,  simple,  unquestionable,  stimulat- 
ing the  interest  of  pupils;  and  a  plan  that  has  been 
adopted  by  other  schools  with  peculiarly  gratifying  re- 
sults. 

A  particular  feature  of  the  Second  Collegiate  Church, 
Harlem,  New  York,  is  the  systematic  offering — a  system 
which  was  first  started  by  Mr.  Frank  A.  Ferris  years 
ago  in  the  old  Fourteenth  Street  Presbyterian  Church, 
New  York  City,  where  it  was  carried  out  to  such  perfec- 
tion that  the  school  there  has  been  known  to  go  through 
the  year  without  a  single  omission  of  offering;  that  is  to 
say,  each  scholar  present  made  an  offering  without  a  single 
failure.  The  Second  Collegiate  Church,  Harlem,  using 
the  same  system,  has  gone  through  the  year  with  only 
thirty-one  omissions  out  of  sixteen  thousand  offerings ! 
The  system  is  to  have  a  class  sheet  with  the  names  of 
the  teachers  and  pupils,  which  is  used  for  one  quarter; 
on  this  sheet  each  Sunday  the  amount  of  offering  is  put 
opposite  the  scholar's  name,  care  being  exercised  to  avoid 
competition  in  giving,  to  teach  the  scholars  that  the  offer- 
ing is  as  much  an  "act  of  worship"  as  any  other  part  of 
the  service,  and  that  each  is  to  make  an  offering  such 
as  each  can  afford  to  give  regularly  and  each  Sunday; 

^The  Sunday-school  Times,  January  12,  1901,  pp.  19-20. 
210 


OFFERINGS 

the  amount,  if  possible,  not  to  vary  and  not  to  be  influ- 
enced by  the  gifts  of  others,  that  it  should  be  made  a 
matter  between  themselves  and  their  Master.  At  the  close 
of  the  school  in  the  spring  the  school  issues  vacation  en- 
velopes which  have  upon  them  spaces  marked  for  each  Sab- 
bath during  the  vacation  season,  and  a  request  that  the 
pupils  place  in  them  their  regular  offerings  and  return  the 
envelopes  when  the  school  is  resumed  in  the  fall.  This 
makes  a  continuous  offering  during  the  year. 


"Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in 
store  as  God  hath  prospered  him." 

VACATION   ENVELOPE   FOR   1900. 


"The  Weekly  Offering." 


BIBLE-SCHOOL    OF  THE    SECOND    COLLEGIATE  REFORMED 
CHURCH   OF   HARLEM,    N.  Y. 

From - 


Jur 


July 


August 


Sept. 


17       24 


15       22      29 


12        19       26 


Total,  ^. 


"  Remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  how  He  said,  it  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 


If  we  may  judge  plans  as  well  as  people  by  ''their 
fruits,"  then  this  plan  is  an  exceptionally  good  one,  re- 
sulting in  offerings  that,  in  proportion  to  membership,  far 
exceed  most  schools. 

The  'Tenny  Fund"  of  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school 
of  Waterloo,  la.,  is  suggestive.  The  superintendent 
distributes  bright  new  pennies  to  the  scholars  on  con- 
dition that  the  pennies  will  be  returned  at  the  end  of  the 
year  with  their  earnings.     The  children  are  urged  to  earn 


211 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the  money  or  save  it  by  self-denial.  The  school  has  re- 
ceived as  a  result  of  this  effort  as  high  as  three  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  in  one  year, — the  money  being  appor- 
tioned to  the  missionary  work  of  the  Baptist  Church  at 
large. 

The  awarding  of  a  beautiful  silk  or  plush  banner,  let- 
tered ''Banner  Class,"  from  quarter  to  quarter,  to  the 
class  making  the  largest  collection  per  capita,  is  another 
plan.  In  awarding  such  a  banner,  St.  Paul's  Methodist 
Episcopal  School,  Lowell,  Mass.,  makes  allowance  for 
age.  For  example,  class  "A,"  under  fifteen  years  of  age, 
would  only  contribute  one-half  as  much  per  member  as 
class  "B,"  who  are  over  fifteen  years  of  age,  to  win. 
Class  "A"  contributes  twenty  cents,  five  present,  four 
cents  per  member.  Class  "B"  contributes  thirty-five  cents, 
five  present,  reckoned  as  equivalent  to  three  and  a  half 
cents  per  member. 

The  Second  Baptist  School,  Holyoke,  Mass.,  has  a  plan 
that  merits  special  mention.  It  is  the  aim  of  the  super- 
intendent to  increase  the  average  attendance  of  the  school, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  see  that  the  collections  from  Sun- 
day to  Sunday  keep  pace  with  the  increased  attendance. 
For  this  purpose  a  chart  was  arranged  upon  the  basis  of 
the  collections  of  the  previous  year  as  related  to  the  aver- 
age attendance.  This  proportion  was  found  to  be  three 
and  three-fourths  cents  per  member  per  Sunday.  The 
collections  for  every  Sunday  are  shown  in  red  lines,  and 
the  attendance  in  black  lines,  and  if  the  exact  proportion 
of  three  and  three-fourths  cents  per  member  had  been 
maintained  every  Sunday,  these  two  lines  for  any  partic- 
ular Sunday  would,  of  course,  coincide. 

We  can  readily  determine  from  the  chart  that  collec- 
tions fluctuated.  On  the  particular  Sunday  in  December 
where  the  red  line  (which  is  represented  by  the  dotted 
line  in  the  cut,  page  213)  goes  over  the  top  of  the  chart, 

212 


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213 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the  collection  was  thirty-eight  dollars,  a  special  contribu- 
tion having  been  made  that  Sunday  by  the  men's  Bible 
class. 

The  birthday  box  is  another  opportunity  of  deepening 
the  spirit  of  giving,  and  with  profound  spiritual  impres- 
sion. The  pupils  who  have  had  birthdays  during  the 
week  previous  come  forward  with  birthday  pennies  and 
drop  in  a  penny  for  each  year  of  their  age  into  the  box  or 
jar,  when  (in  the  Primary  Department)  a  hymn  is  sung 
and  a  prayer  offered. 

BIRTHDAY     PRAYER. 
"We   thank  Thee,   our   Father,   that   Thou   hast  kept 
durinor  these  years   which  has 


lived,    and   hast  given   so   many   blessings.      Bless 

this  year  also,  and  as grows  taller  and 

older  every  day,  may grow  wiser  and  more  and  more 

like  Thee.     May be  just  such  a  child  as  Thou  dost 

wish to  be.    We  ask  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  who  was 

once  a  child.     Amen."  * 

BIRTHDAY    SONG. 
Happy  our  birthdays,  when  we  gladly  bring 
Hearts  of  affection  to  our  Saviour  King, 
Laying  our  gifts  before  Him  while  we  sing ! 

Singing  His  tender  love. 

Chorus  : 
Singing  His  tender  love,  trusting  His  care, 

Happy  our  birthdays  are. 

Shining  and  fair. 
Well  may  our  hands  grateful  offerings  bring; 
While  with  our  lips  bright  hosannas  we  sing. 

Happy  our  birthdays  when  the  past  we  see, 
Sparkling  with  mercies,  all  His  gifts  so  free; 
Oh,  how  our  Saviour  loves  us,  you  and  me! 

Singing  His  tender  love.  Chorus: 

*  From  Special  Songs  and  Services  for  Primary  and  Interme- 
diate Classes,  No.  i,  p.  96.  Mrs.  M.  G.  Kennedy.  Published 
by  W.  A.  Wilde  Company,  Boston  and  Chicago. 

214 


OFFERINGS 

Happy  our  birthdays  when  His  voice  we  hear, 
Trying  to  serve  Him  better  every  year ; 
Thinking  of  others  we  may  help  and  cheer ! 
Singing  His  tender  love. 

Chorus  : 

Happy  our  birthdays,  if  each  milestone  be 
Nearer  the  mansions  by  the  Crystal  Sea — 
Nearer  the  Home  Land,  where  His  face  we'll  see ! 
Singing  His  tender  love/ 

In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school  of  Waterloo,  la., 
the  school  is  classified  as  to  months;  all  having  birth- 
days in  the  same  month  belong  to  one  division,  and  a 
special  good  time  in  the  way  of  a  picnic,  social  or  enter- 
tainment is  given  to  the  members  during  their  birthday 
month. 

On  the  wall  of  the  Hope  Congregational  Church  Sun- 
day-school, Springfield,  Mass.,  are  large  cards,  one  for 
each  month,  with  a  drawing  on  the  card  appropriate  for 
the  month,  and  with  the  names  of  the  children  born  in 
that  month.  When  their  birthdays  arrive  and  they  have 
brought  their  pennies,  gold  stars  are  placed  opposite  their 
names. 

In  the  Congregational  Sunday-school  of  Brattleboro, 
Vt.,  the  birthday  money  is  used  toward  the  support  of  a 
little  girl  in  the  Kurn  Hattin  Home  for  Orphans,  situated 
in  Westminster,  Vt.  The  girl  visits  the  school  occa- 
sionally, and  the  department  is  in  close  touch  with  her 
continually. 

St.  Paul's  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Lowell, 
Mass.,  has  a  good  plan  for  inciting  interest  in  a  special 
collection.  For  two  months  before  Christmas  a  sealed 
box  is  passed  to  a  different  class  each  Sunday  (notice 
having  been  given  the  previous  Sabbath),  and  their  con- 
tribution to  help  the  Christmas  festivities  and  for  the  poor 

*  From  Special  Songs  and  Services  for  Primary  and  Interme- 
diate Classes,   No.   i,  p.  68. 

215 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

of  the  church  are  received.  A  sHp  of  paper  with  the 
name  of  the  class  and  the  amount  contributed  is  also  en- 
closed, and  when  the  box  is  opened  the  class  having  de- 
posited the  largest  amount  is  especially  remembered  at 
the  Christmas  tree.  No  one  class  knows  what  another 
has  contributed,  so  each  is  stimulated  through  both  per- 
sonal and  benevolent  considerations  to  be  as  liberal  as 
possible. 

Special  invitations  to  the  members  of  the  Sunday-school 
urging  each  to  a  share  in  spreading  Christmas  joy,  is  the 
happy  plan  of  a  superintendent,  whose  letter  follows : 

North  Baptist  Church, 
Sunday-school  Department, 
Camden,  N.  J.,  Dec.  19,  1900. 

Dear  Friend:  Having  wished  you  a  Merry  Christ- 
mas, the  next  thing  in  order  is  to  tell  you  a  good  way 
to  make  the  wish  come  true.  This  lies  along  the  road 
of  helping  some  one  else  to  have  a  Merry  Christmas. 

"In  union  there  is  strength."  Many  can  do  more  than 
one.  Our  school,  as  you  know,  has  for  years  made  an 
offering  at  Christmas  time  for  those  who  have  less  than 
we.  Our  aim  has  been  to  get  something  from  every  one, 
making  the  whole  amount  as  large  as  we  can. 

The  need  this  year  is  greater  than  ever  before.  We 
are  pushing  out  into  many  new  homes,  seeking  new 
scholars,  and  in  this  work  find  many  cases  where  the 
lack  of  clothing  alone  prevents  their  coming  to  us  and 
sharing  with  us  the  privileges  of  our  Sunday-school  and 
Church.  Others  who  are  already  of  our  number  some- 
times find  it  difficult  to  meet  these  same  wants.  This 
fund  helps  them  also — all  the  more  for  being  used  in  a 
way  that  the  rest  of  us  know  nothing  about.  We  do 
not  need  to  know.  It  is  our  part  to  give;  the  part  of 
those  in  need  to  receive;  and  God's  part  to  remember 
and  reward. 

Now  will  you  please  give  what  you  can,  and  put  it  in 
the  enclosed  envelope  and  bring  it  to  Sunday-school  next 
Sunday?      If  you  cannot  possibly  get  there,  then  please 

216 


OFFERINGS 

send  your  alternate  in  the  little  envelope;  but  do  your 
best  to  be  there  yourself.  You  and  your  offering  will  be 
far  better  than  either  alone. 

The  programme  for  next  Sunday  afternoon  will  in- 
clude the  reception  of  the  offering  above  referred  to  and 
the  announcement  of  the  amount  contributed  by  each 
class,  also  two  solos  by  Mrs.  Grace  Phelps  Armstrong, 
and  the  Christmas  music  which  we  have  recently  been 
practising. 

So  much  for  Sunday  afternoon.  Now  for  our  annual 
Christmas  entertainment.  That  for  the  Main  Depart- 
ment is  to  be  held  Thursday  evening,  December  27.  The 
Entertainment  Committee  has  provided  a  programme  in 
which  a  large  number  of  our  own  boys  and  girls  will 
take  part.  They  have  likewise  secured  the  attendance 
of  Santa  Claus  and  his  double,  Kriss  Kringle.  Dialogues, 
recitations,  drills,  Christmas  music  and  decorations  will 
ensure  a  good  time,  while  the  distribution  of  confections 
will,  we  trust,  give  a  sweet  flavor  to  the  whole. 

We  hope  to  see  you  without  fail  on  both  these  occa- 
sions.      Start    with    Sunday   afternoon    and    its    remem- 
brance of  others,  and  close  with  Thursday  evening  and 
the  school's  remembrance  of  you. 
Sincerely  yours, 

F.  M.  Ayer,  Superintendent. 

P.  S. — Bring  your  parents  and  friends  to  both  services. 

This  letter  is  printed  on  a  neat  four-page  leaflet,  the 
first  page  of  which  bears  a  picture  of  the  church  and  the 
following  greeting : 


YOUR  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WISHES  YOU  A  MERRY  CHRISTMAS. 


"  I  have  always  thought  of  Christmas  time  when  it  has  come  round — 
apart  from  the  veneration  due  to  its  sacred  name  and  origin,  if  anything 
belonging  to  it  can  be  apart  from  that— as  a  good  time  ;  a  kind,  forgiving, 
charitable,  pleasant  time;  the  only  time  I  know  of,  in  the  long  calendar  of 
the  year,  when  men  and  women  seem  by  one  consent  to  open  their  shut- 
up  hearts  freely,  and  to  think  of  people  below  them  as  if  they  really  were 
fellow-passengers  to  the  grave,  and  not  another  race  of  creatures  bound  on 
other  journeys.  And  therefore  I  believe  that  it  has  done  me  good,  and 
will  do  me  good  ;  and  I  say  God  bless  it."— Dickens. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

A  card,  given  to  pupils  in  recognition  of  a  special  offer- 
ing, is  the  plan  of  a  school  which  makes  an  annual  gift 
to  a  *'Home"  for  the  aged  and  infirm.  On  a  card  bear- 
ing a  beautiful  picture  of  the  ''Home"  is  the  following  in 
colored  inks : 


THE  BAPTIST  HOME  OF  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 
Corner  of  Greene  and  Throop  Avenues. 


I  love  to  think  when  sinks  the  sun 
That  there  is  something  I  have  done 

For  which  the  world  is  better  ; 
However  small  the  deed  may  be, 
If  something  good  has  gone  from  me 

The  world  remains  my  debtor.— Mrs.  J.  H.  Dew. 


PRESENTED  TO 

THE  MEMBERS  OF  THE  BAPTIST  TEMPLE  BIBLE  SCHOOL 
Who  made  a  Thanksgiving  Offering  to 
The  Baptist  Home  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

November  24,  igoi. 


In  addition  to  the  above  plans,  and  at  times  co-ordinate 
with  them,  there  is  systematic  teaching  on  the  subject  of 
tithing.  This  is  a  subject  that  the  whole  Church  might 
profitably  consider.  Through  the  distribution  of  litera- 
ture an  interest  is  awakened  in  this  fascinating  study, 
which,  followed  by  prayer  and  personal  work,  results  in 
a  revival  of  tithing.  The  Christian  League  in  this  coun- 
try, organized  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  systematic 
giving,  receives  annual  reports  from  members,  giving  a 
statement  of  their  business  and  spiritual  prosperity.  The 
League  says :  **The  results  have  been  surprising ;  not  only 
has  the  income  of  the  missionary  societies  receiving  the 
funds  been  greatly  increased,  but  out  of  thousands  en- 
listing through  this  League  all  but  two  or  three  have  re- 
ported greatly  increased  business  prosperity."  A  number 
of  years  ago,  Mr.  Thomas  Kane,  Chicago,  111.,  commenced 
making    personal    inquiries    regarding    the    comparative 

218 


OFFERINGS 

temporal  prosperity  of  those  persons  who  practise 
the  rule  of  giving  to  the  Lord  one-tenth  of  their  in- 
come. "Since  1876,"  says  Mr.  Kane,  "I  have  received, 
I  have  little  idea  how  many,  but  certainly  thousands  of 
letters  giving  cheerful,  and  in  many  cases  enthusiastic, 
testimony  to  the  literalness  of  God's  promise :  'Honor  the 
Lord  with  thy  substance,  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with 
plenty.'  "  But  the  giver  is  not  the  only  one  who  is  blessed. 
Think  of  what  tithing  means  to  a  church.  A  church  so 
small  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  members,  earning  on  an 
average  so  little  as  one  dollar  a  day  ($365  for  the  entire 
year),  would  represent  an  income  of  $54,750,  one-tenth 
of  which  for  the  Lord  would  be  $5,475.  What  a  boon 
to  Christian  work  and  missions  tithing  means ! 

By  every  possible  way  the  beautiful  service  of  giving 
should  be  faithfully  taught.  Only  as  we  learn  the  lesson 
of  sacrifice  do  we  rightly  know  Christ  and  the  multiplied 
blessing  of  blessing  others.  ''Give  and  it  shall  be  given 
unto  you ;  good  measure,  pressed  down,  and  shaken  to- 
gether and  running  over,  shall  men  give  into  your  bosom. 
For  with  the  same  measure  that  ye  mete  withal  it  shall 
be  measured  to  you  again."  ^ 

2.  The  question  of  Sunday-school  support  is  involved 
in  this  principle  of  giving.  Whether  the  work  of  a  school 
should  be  sustained  by  its  own  offerings  or  by  church 
benevolences  must  be  determined  largely  by  local  condi- 
tions. The  Church,  however,  is  held  by  certain  unyield- 
ing considerations :  its  parental  obligation  to  the  children 
and  bounden  nurture  of  the  school  of  to-day,  if  there  is  to 
be  a  Church  of  to-morrow.  Economy  in  Church  finance 
can  ill  afford  to  begin  with  the  department  of  our  youth 
and  of  Bible  study.  On  the  other  hand,  there  may  be 
urgent  reasons  why  a  Church-school  should  try  to  meet 
its  own  running  expenses  through  weekly  offerings. 
'  St.  Luke  6 :  38. 
219 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

In  the  Bethel  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  of  East  Or- 
ange, N.  J.,  the  church  is  not  asked  to  furnish  anything 
toward  the  expenses  of  the  school,  except  some  help  in 
defraying  the  expenses  of  the  Christmas  entertainment, 
which  generally  amounts  to  about  one  hundred  dollars. 

The  Congregational  Church,  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  has 
pledged  itself  to  support  the  Sunday-school,  leaving  the 
school  free  to  use  its  weekly  collections  for  charitable 
work.  Thus,  if  a  pupil  puts  ten  cents  into  the  collection 
envelope,  it  is  with  the  knowledge  that  the  whole  of  that 
ten  cents  will  be  used  to  benefit  some  one  else.  The  les- 
son which  this  method  teaches  is  plain.  The  Sunday- 
school  gives  regularly  to  several  worthy  objects,  and  at 
Christmas  time  furnishes  practically  the  entire  material 
for  the  Christmas  festival  of  a  Sunday-school  in  New 
York  City  composed  of  over  five  hundred  poor  children. 
It  must  not  be  inferred  that  this  is  a  rich  Sunday-school, 
for  it  is  dependent  for  its  support  on  the  offerings  of  the 
Church. 

In  the  State  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Al- 
bany, N.  Y.,  the  school  is  supported  by  the  weekly  con- 
tributions of  the  officers  and  teachers,  aided  by  one  gen- 
eral collection  each  year  in  the  church,  while  the  general 
collections  from  children  and  teachers  go  for  mission- 
ary objects,  home  and  foreign. 

In  the  First  Baptist  Sunday-school  in  Indianapolis, 
Ind.,  and  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  of 
Williamsport,  Pa.,  two-fifths  of  the  offerings  are  for 
missionary  objects  and  the  balance  for  the  running  ex- 
penses. 

Special  collections  for  special  purposes  is  another  plan, 
such  collections  being  taken  sometimes  every  two  months ; 
again,  only  on  Children's  Day,  Rally  Day  and  Thanks- 
giving Day. 


220 


CHAPTER  XV 

LIBRARIES 

I.  Properly  considered,  the  Sunday-school  Hbrary  aids 
in  drawing  members  to,  and  maintaining  their  interest  in, 
the  school ;  and  is  invaluable  as  a  moral  and  spiritual 
force  and  as  an  educational  aid.  Important  as  is  this  de- 
partment, it  yet  remains  idle  and  inefficient  in  a  vast 
number  of  schools.  A  superintendent  of  one  of  the  old- 
est and  largest  Sunday-schools  in  the  South  writes,  "Our 
library  is  not  working  effectively  as  yet."  A  superin- 
tendent in  one  of  the  best-known  Bible-schools  in  the 
Empire  State  writes,  ''Our  library  is  still  a  problem." 
Similar  reports  have  been  made  by  many  others.  A  lec- 
turer in  Chicago  said  recently  that  the  majority  of  Sun- 
day-school libraries  are  ''damnable  things,"  working  more 
evil  than  "half-dime  novels"  and  "nickel  story  papers." 
Verily  this  is  a  hard  saying.  The  situation  is  pathetic 
enough  if  this  only  be  true — "not  working  effectively, 
as  yet.'' 

Securing  and  maintaining  a  first-class  library  is  an 
easy  and  pleasurable  task,  when  there  is  regard  for  such 
simple  measures  as  this  chapter  sets  forth.  First  of  all, 
we  must  realize  the  urgent  necessity  of  a  good  library. 
Through  modern  study  of  "the  child,"  and  of  "the  mind," 
we  see  the  desperate  need  of  supplying  our  youth  with 
good  reading.  Again,  the  studies  of  actual  conditions 
of  the  life  of  our  youth  by  such  expert  workers  as 
Homer  Falks  and  Anthony  Comstock  enforces  the  same 
need.  Mr.  Comstock's  book,  Traps  for  the  Young,^  will 
^  Funk  &  Wagnalls,  publishers,  Astor  Place,  New  York. 
221 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

arouse  the  most  lethargic  to  the  danger  of  our  youth  hav- 
ing their  pure  minds  and  lives  cursed  for  life  by  the  "Ht- 
erature"  that  is  placed  upon  the  doorsteps  of  our  homes, 
handed  to  the  children  on  their  return  from  public  schools, 
and  that  is  on  sale — shame  and  crime  that  it  is! — at 
practically  all  news-stands.  We  might  just  as  well  shut 
up  our  churches  unless  we  are  to  save  our  youth  from 
such  "literature,"  and  help  them  to  good  reading  that 
they  will  read.  This  is  not  a  wild  alarm,  and  no  one 
having  regard  to  the  moral  purity  of  our  youth  can  re- 
main indifferent  to  their  demand  for  reading.  Reading 
of  some  kind  they  will  have.  It  is  for  the  Church  to 
determine  which  kind.  Mr.  Comstock,  in  speaking  of 
the  young,  says:  "Each  birth  begins  a  history.  The 
pages  are  filled  out,  one  by  one,  by  the  records  of  daily 
life.  The  mind  is  the  source  of  action.  Thoughts  are 
the  aliment  upon  which  it  feeds.  We  assimilate  what 
we  read.  The  pages  of  printed  matter  become  our  com- 
panions. Memory  unites  them  indissolubly,  so  that,  un- 
like an  enemy,  we  cannot  get  away  from  them.  They 
are  constant  attendants  to  quicken  thought  and  influence 
action.  Good  reading  refines,  elevates,  ennobles,  and 
stimulates  the  ambition  to  lofty  purposes.  It  points  up- 
ward. Evil  reading  debases,  degrades,  perverts  and 
turns  away  from  lofty  aims  to  follow  examples  of  cor- 
ruption and  criminality.  The  community  is  cursed  by 
pernicious  literature.  Ignorance  as  to  its  debasing  char- 
acter in  numerous  instances,  and  an  indifference  that  is 
disgraceful  in  others,  tolerate  and  sanction  this  evil. 
Parents  send  their  beloved  children  to  school,  and  text- 
books are  placed  in  their  hands,  while  lesson  after  lesson 
and  precept  after  precept  are  drilled  into  them.  But 
through  criminal  indifference  to  other  reading  for  the 
children  than  their  text-books,  the  grand  possibilities 
locked  up  in  the  future  of  every  child,  if  kept  pure,  and 

222 


LIBRARIES 

all  the  appetites  and  passions  controlled,  are  often  cir- 
cumscribed and  defeated  at  its  threshold  of  life."  ^ 

It  follows  that  we  exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the 
lives  and  characters  of  children  through  the  books  which 
we  put  into  their  hands.  If  the  Sunday-school  library 
is  selected  without  regard  to  the  mental  development  of 
the  scholars  or  their  peculiar  needs — books  suited  to  a 
"mission"  school  may  not  be  suited  to  a  more  well-to-do 
school,  where  much  home  reading  is  provided — or  if 
"good"  books,  such  as  Charnock  on  the  Divine  Attri- 
butes or  Alexander  on  Religious  Experience,  and  simi- 
lar theological  treatises,  fill  its  shelves,  one  may  expect 
that  the  library  will  be  passed  by  the  bright  scholars 
whose  unfed  minds  can  reach  other  "literature"  that  en- 
virons them.  The  Sunday-school  library,  therefore,  is 
either  a  powerful  help  or  a  powerful  hindrance  in  the 
mental,  moral  and  spiritual  development  of  our  youth. 
It  cannot  be  a  neutral  force. 

Why  not  let  the  town  library  supply  the  need?  Only 
the  few  have  sufficient  interest,  usually,  to  make  special 
errands  for  books;  and  when  they  do  their  selections  are 
not  always  the  most  helpful.  More  books  will  be  read 
when  placed  in  their  hands.  Many  towns  have  no  libra- 
ries. Again,  the  Church  gains  on  the  affection  of  its 
attendants  through  meeting  their  varied  needs.  And  no 
one  is  so  suited  for  aiding  scholars  in  their  reading  as 
those  who  know  them  closely  in  disposition  and  environ- 
ment, and  who  labor  for  their  spiritual  improvement. 

2.  What  kind  of  books,  then,  shall  have  place  on  the 
shelves  of  the  Sunday-school  library?  We  need,  per- 
haps, to  put  new  meaning  into  an  old  word.  The  term 
"Sunday-school  book"  sometimes  suggests  to  scholars  a 
"goody-goody"  book  with  a  "dummy"  lot  of  people,  as  one 
boy  phrased  it,  who  know  nothing  of  the  stuff  that  one 
^Traps  for  the  Young,  p.  ix. 
223 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

meets  with  in  real  life.  Change  such  impressions  by  put- 
ting into  the  hands  of  pupils  good,  vigorous,  wholesome 
books  of  fiction,  of  travel,  of  science,  of  biography,  and 
they  will  read  them  and  grow  better.  If  there  is  any 
book  that  youth  has  a  right  to  read,  that  book  has  a  right 
to  a  place  in  the  Sunday-school  library!  Of  course,  a 
library  will  have  books  on  religious  and  semi-religious 
subjects;  also  biographies  of  some  of  our  missionary  he- 
roes and  heroines,  whose  thrilling  experiences  have  fas- 
cinating interest  for  boys  and  girls,  as  well  as  for  the 
grown-up  folk.  There,  too,  should  be  helpful  books  on 
Bible  subjects  and  Scripture  studies.  Of  the  latter,  to 
illustrate,  there  should  be  such  books  as  those  of  George 
L.  Weed  on  A  Life  of  Christ  for  the  Young,  A  Life 
of  St.  John  for  the  Young,^  also  his  two  similar  works 
on  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.  Children  scarce  six  years  of 
age  delight  in  such  books,  and  parents  are  equally  inter- 
ested in  them  and  gratified  for  having  their  attention 
called  to  them.  "Of  making  books  there  is  no  end."  And 
the  time  is,  for  which  we  rejoice,  when  there  are  many 
works,  covering  Scripture  studies,  published  at  small 
cost,  that  appeal  to  the  interest  of  the  ordinary  boy  of 
flesh  and  blood,  and  that  work  spiritual  and  educational 
improvement  by  their  use.  But  no  one  cares  for  the 
same  "solid"  food  three  times  a  day.  Give  us  the  lighter 
dishes  sometimes,  and  our  appetite  is  the  keener  for  the 
essential  and  the  substantial ! 

The  library  committee.  The  selecting  of  new  books 
for  the  school  libraries  is  generally  in  the  hands  of  a 
library  committee,  of  which  the  pastor  and  the  su- 
perintendent are  in  some  cases  permanent  members. 
This  committee  reads  all  books  before  placing  them  on 
the  library  shelves  for  distribution.      In  the  Silliman  Me- 

*  George  W.  Jacobs  &  Co.,  publishers,  1216  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,    Pa. 

224 


LIBRARIES 

morial  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  no 
book  is  admitted  except  upon  the  unanimous  approval 
of  the  committee. 

There  are  various  ways  of  securing  new  books,  within 
reach  of  the  most  limited  means.  That  a  library  may  be 
always  fresh  and  of  the  best,  there  is  the  plan  of  setting 
apart  a  certain  amount  of  money  each  year  for  the  pur- 
chase of  new  books.  In  the  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  the  library  is  endowed,  the  in- 
terest of  the  endowment  going  generally  for  the  purchase 
of  new  books.  The  old  books  are  donated  to  schools 
near  by  that  are  not  so  favored.  In  St.  John's  Episcopal 
Sunday-school,  Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  a  small  sum  is  collected 
each  month  for  the  purpose  of  book  purchases.  In  other 
schools  the  necessary  funds  come  either  from  the  church 
or  from  the  regular  school  collections. 

A  book  social,  where  the  admittance  is  a  book,  is  usually 
successful  in  adding  a  large  number  of  new  books  to  the 
library.  On  the  Sabbath  previous  to  the  social  a  list  of 
the  books  especially  desired  should  be  intimated.  An- 
nouncement is  also  made  that  the  church  accords  the 
library  committee  the  right  to  exchange  or  dispose  of  any 
book  that  may  duplicate  another  or  may  not  be  wholly 
suited  to  the  present  needs  of  the  school. 

3.  Divisions  of  the  library.  In  the  smaller  schools 
one  library  for  all  departments  is  usually  sufficient,  and 
the  more  efficient  for  being  under  one  management.  In 
all  but  the  very  small  schools,  however,  the  libraries  of 
the  Main  and  Primary  Departments  find  an  advantage 
in  being  separate,  the  Primary  having  its  own  catalogue 
and  librarian  apart  from  that  of  the  main  school.  Some 
of  the  larger  schools  have  separate  libraries  for  their 
several  departments;  that  is,  for  the  Intermediate  and 
Junior,  as  well  as  for  the  Primary  and  Senior  grades. 

A  special  missionary  library,  or  Missionary  Depart- 
225 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ment,  is  sine  qua  non  of  a  good  school,  and  contains 
biographies  of  famous  missionaries,  books  of  travel,  etc., 
which  may  be  under  the  care  of  a  missionary  committee 
or,  as  in  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Bos- 
ton, Mass.,  under  the  care  of  one  class,  there  a  class 
of  women.  The  Rev.  Charles  Lott  Palmer  has  said : 
"There  are  many  excellent  books  for  children  and  young 
people,  but  no  class  of  reading  is  more  fascinating  or 
beneficial  than  missionary.  The  lives  of  our  most  con- 
secrated workers  are  now  obtainable  in  simple  English 
for  the  young.  Such  books  are  as  fascinating  as  novels 
and  of  greater  value.  They  contain  the  information  that 
gives  the  growing  mind  a  just  conception  of  the  'mission 
of  missions.'  They  furnish  the  much-needed  incentive 
for  holy  living  required  by  young  converts.  And  the 
impression  made  on  the  child  will  abide  through  life, 
bearing  fruit  in  gifts  and  prayers."  ^  The  general  sec- 
retary of  the  Student  Volunteers  ^  has  lists  of  missionary 
libraries  which  may  be  obtained  at  reasonable  prices.  The 
missionary  boards  of  our  several  denominations  can  sug- 
gest other  books  of  value. 

The  teachers'  library.  Another  essential  for  the  mod- 
ern Sunday-school  is  a  special  reference  library  for  teach- 
ers and  normal  classes.  Its  shelves  should  be  well 
stocked  with  all  the  latest  commentaries  and  aids  to  the 
study  of  the  Bible,  and  should  be  free  of  access  at  all 
times  to  teachers  and  normal  class  members.  The  Cam- 
bridge Bible  for  Schools  and  Colleges,  with  its  com- 
pendiums  on  the  various  books  of  the  Bible,  is  a  concise, 
comprehensive  and  scholarly  commentary,  especially 
suited  to  the  student  of  English.  The  teachers'  library 
should  also  have  every  serviceable  publication  relative 
to   Sunday-school   methods,   the   work   of   teaching,   etc. 

^  The  Christian  Intelligencer,  October  30,  1901. 
'Address,   3   West   Twenty-ninth    Street,   New   York. 

226 


LIBRARIES 

The  teachers  and  normal  class  workers  may  read  only 
certain  chapters  of  such  works,  but  these  will  prove  stim- 
ulating and  helpful.  Next  to  the  Bible,  there  should 
be  placed  in  the  hands  of  teachers  The  Point  of  Contact 
in  Teaching,'^  by  Du  Bois.  This  book,  with  its  wealth  for 
both  mind  and  heart,  will  prove  to  the  true  teacher  more 
fascinating  than  fiction.  The  teachers'  library  should 
next  have  the  Rand-McNally  Bible  Atlas,  Histor- 
ical, Descriptive  and  Illustrated,^  which  is  full  of  in- 
formation regarding  the  Holy  Land,  including  ancient 
and  modern  Jerusalem,  explanations  and  colored  dia- 
grams of  the  temple,  etc.,  with  maps,  plans,  review  charts, 
and  beautiful  engravings  of  salient  features  of  interest. 
The  library  should  also  have  Schauffler's  The  Teacher, 
the  Child  and  the  Book,^  Taylor's  The  Study  of  the 
Child,*  Du  Bois'  Beckonings  from  Little  Hands,^  Ad- 
ler's  The  Moral  Instruction  of  Children,*  Smith's  The 
Historical  Geography  of  the  Holy  Land,^  and  similar 
lar  works.  With  the  occasional  reading  of  even  parts 
of  such  books,  teachers  will  find  a  growing  enthusiasm 
for,  and  a  pleasurable  and  promising  gain  in,  their  work. 
If  the  books  are  not  drawn  at  first,  let  the  pastor  or  su- 
perintendent place  them  in  the  hands  of  teachers,  suggest- 
ing the  reading  of  a  certain  chapter  or  of  certain  pages. 
There  should  be  a  faithful  record  of  books  drawn.  When 
a  book  is  returned,  place  another  in  the  hands  of  the 
teacher  at  a  suitable  time,  and  continue  this  educational 
work.  It  will  strengthen  the  work  on  all  sides,  and  with 
heavenly  results.  Strong's  Exhaustive  Concordance  of 
the  Bible,  and  new  works  that  give  light  on  the  Scrip- 

^  Dodd,  Mead  &  Co.,  publishers,  27^  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 
■■'By  J.  L.   Hurlbut,  D.D.,  Rand,  McNally  &  Co.,  publishers, 
Chicago. 
^  W.  A.  Wilde  &  Co.,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 
*  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  publishers.  New  York. 
•^A.  C.  Armstrong  &  Son,  publishers,  New  York. 

22y 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

tures,  should  also  be  available.  The  teachers'  reference 
library  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Allen- 
town,  Pa.,  contains  five  volumes  of  Heroes  of  the  Ref- 
ormation, twelve  volumes  of  Preparing  to  Teach,  one 
volume.  No.  6,  American  Church  History,  History  of 
the  Christian  Church,  Hodge's  Outlines  of  Theology, 
Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  etc. 

4.  The  cataloguing  and  care  of  books  should  be  with  the 
same  precision  that  any  other  business  is  conducted.  Lists 
of  new  books  may  be  intimated  orally  or  on  the  black- 
board. In  the  Central  Presbyterian  Bible-school,  Au- 
burn, N.  Y.,  the  new  books  are  noted  on  a  card  outside 
of  the  library  door  and  on  a  printed  slip  added  to  the 
catalogue  yearly.  In  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  the  new  books  are  allowed  to 
accumulate  during  the  year  before  being  catalogued  and 
added  to  the  library  for  distribution. 

5.  What  is  the  best  plan  for  the  distribution  of  the 
books?  It  is  just  here  that  many  schools  fail  when  within 
reach  of  success.  In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Boston,  Mass.,  where  there  are  two  libraries,  the 
one  for  the  Primary  Departments  is  presided  over  by  one 
of  the  church  deacons  and  his  wife,  with  an  assistant. 
The  librarian  knows  the  four  hundred  books  so  well  that 
she  is  able,  as  soon  as  she  glances  at  the  title,  to  give  the 
general  contents  of  the  book.  She  is  also  well  acquainted 
with  the  pupils,  who  in  this  department  do  not  choose 
their  own  books.  The  choosing  is  done  by  the  librarian, 
who  adapts  the  book  to  the  child.  The  officers  of  the 
school  consider  this  one  of  the  best  works  that  is  being 
done  in  the  school. 

A  similar  plan  for  the  distribution  of  books  is  to  be 
commended  for  the  library  of  the  main  school.  If  the 
work  is  delegated  to  a  committee,  or  in  the  smaller  schools 
to  the  librarians,  they  should  know  the  books  and  the 

228 


LIBRARIES 


pupils,  and  do  their  conscientious  best  to  place  the  right 
books  with  the  right  scholars. 

The  following  is  an  illustrative  list  of  rules : 


Register  No Class  No , 

CLASSON   AVENUE  PRESBYTERIAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Name. 

Teacher 


Library  Rules. 

1.  Only  one  book  may  be  taken  at  a  time. 

2.  Books  must  be  returned  on  or  before  the  second  Sunday  after  they 

are  taken. 

3.  Books  not  returned  in  four  weeks  will  be  considered  lost. 

4.  Books  lost  must  be  replaced  or  paid  for. 

5.  Scholars  returning  books  defaced  or  damaged  will  lose  the  privileges 

of  the  Library  for  four  weeks. 

6.  No  books  can  be  taken  by  scholars  who  are  irregular  in  their  attend- 

ance. 

7.  No  books  will  be  exchanged  at  the  Library  on  the  day  they  are 

issued. 

8.  Scholars  must  not  exchange  books  with  one  another.     Any  one  doing 

so  will  lose  the  privilege  of  the  Library  for  four  weeks. 

9.  One  catalogue  only  will  be  given  to  each  scholar.     If  this  is  lost  or 

destroyed,  another  copy  can  be  obtained  at  a  cost  of  ten  cents. 

[o.     At  least  twenty  unused  numbers  should  be  kept  on  the  card. 

[I.  When  a  book  is  specially  desired  it  may  be  indicated  by  underlining 
the  number  of  the  book  on  the  card. 

[2.  A  fee  of  five  cents  a  week  will  be  required  for  books  kept  out  over- 
time. 


[Reverse  side.] 
Books  Desired. 


Numbers 
I  to  300 


Numbers 
301  to  500 


Numbers 
501  to  700 


Numbers 
over  700 


229 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

When  the  older  members  of  a  school  are  permitted  to 
choose  their  own  books,  the  card  system  should  be  used. 
A  library  catalogue  is  then  preserved  by  each  pupil,  who 
writes  a  preferred  list  of  three  or  five  books  on  a  card 
provided  for  the  purpose.  The  cards  are  collected  by  the 
librarians  and  then  returned  with  the  books,  which  are 
placed  by  the  classes  for  distribution  by  the  teachers  at  the 
close  of  the  session.  This  is  a  great  gain  over  the  old  plan 
of  pupils  crowding  about  the  library  shelves  and  tables, 
with  inevitable  confusion !  In  the  Park  Church,  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  library  books  may  be  had  at  the  lecture-room  Sat- 
urdays between  ten  and  twelve  in  the  morning  and  be- 
tween two  and  five  in  the  afternoon.  Tickets  are  given 
by  the  librarian,  on  application,  to  all  pupils  over  eight 
years  old,  after  a  few  satisfactory  Sundays. 

6.  Miscellaneous  suggestions.  The  librarian  should 
make  a  regular  report  each  Sunday,  as  do  the  other  offi- 
cers. This  is  a  quiet  and  effective  way  of  emphasizing 
the  importance  of  the  work  and  of  securing  systematic 
records. 

Along  with  the  provision  of  good  books,  there  should 
be  a  free  weekly  distribution  of  a  bright  illustrated 
story  paper,  such  as  Forward,^  The  Classmate,^  etc. 
Similar  papers  can  be  obtained  for  the  younger  members 
of  the  schools  from  the  publishing  houses  of  the  several 
denominations.  The  cost  is  small  and  the  results  are 
large,  meeting  a  real  need  of  the  pupils,  deepening  their 
love  for  their  school,  appealing  to  their  fidelity,  broaden- 
ing their  intelligence,  and  cultivating  a  taste  for  the  best 
reading. 

The  plan  of  keeping  the  library  open  during  the  week 
and  of  using  it  in  part  as  a  reading-room,  filled  with 

*  Publisher's  address,   1319  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

*  Publisher's  address,  150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

230 


LIBRARIES 

papers,  magazines  and  the  best  current  literature  of  the 
day,  is  one  of  the  hopeful  signs  in  church  life. 

7.  It  follows  that  the  librarian  should  be  an  intelli- 
gent and  capable  worker,  one  chosen  because  qualified  for 
the  responsible  work,  and  with  such  interest  in  it  as  to 
study  and  provide  for  its  every  advancement!  ''Better 
give  the  books  away  than  entrust  them  to  this  or  that  in- 
competent youth,  'just  to  keep  him  in  the  school  a  few 
years  longer.'  Make  the  library  a  post  of  honor,  and 
man  it  with  a  teacher,  lawyer,  or  college  graduate,  who 
will  magnify  the  office."  Such  are  the  words  of  Mr.  J.  R. 
Joy,  who  has  said  some  other  good  things  on  libraries  in 
Brewer's  How  to  Make  the  Sunday-school  Go.'^  Com- 
paratively little  has  been  written  on  Sunday-school  libra- 
ries, and  a  librarian  who  expects  to  make  his  library  the 
powerful  aid  for  good  that  it  can  be  must  continue  a  dili- 
gent student  and  untiring  worker. 

'  Eaton  &  Mains,  publishers,  New  York  and  Cincinnati, 


231 


CHAPTER  XVI 

MISSIONS 

T.  No  one  thing  is  more  significant  of  the  growth  of 
Christianity  and  its  matchless  power  upon  the  world  than 
the  growth  of  the  spirit  of  missions  in  Bible-schools. 
There  are  now  whole  Bible-schools  organized  as  schools 
with  the  purpose  of  the  Master:  the  Gospel  for  every 
creature.  These  missionary  schools,  too,  forcibly  illus- 
trate the  divine  law  of  growth.  With  eyes  upon  the 
world's  horizon,  their  work  for  the  last  man,  whether 
Hottentot,  Fiji,  or  the  despised  Chinaman,  these  schools 
are  the  growing  schools,  increasing  mightily  in  num- 
bers, gifts  and  powers,  following  in  the  wake  of  the  Mo- 
ravian Church,  that  peculiarly  missionary  Church,  with 
a  continual  revival  at  home.  Glorious  is  our  hope, 
when  our  boys  as  well  as  girls  (which  means  ultimately 
men  as  well  as  women)  are  imbued  with  the  spirit  that 
knows  no  staying:  the  world  for  Christ! 

11.  Methods  of  interesting  members  of  a  school  in 
missionary  work.  i.  First  of  all,  we  must  have  a  clear 
idea  of  just  what  it  is  that  we  desire  to  do.  Is  not  the  end 
before  us  simply  this :  the  informing  of  pupils  of  the 
great  world  work  of  missions,  its  nature,  method  and  need, 
and  also  the  imbuing  them  with  the  spirit  of  missions? 
How  can  this  be  done?  Mr.  W.  Henry  Grant,  who  speaks 
to  us  out  of  extended  study  and  large  experience,  says : 
*Tt  appears  to  me  that  the  problem  of  interesting  the  Sun- 
day-school in  the  missionary  cause,  and  of  having  the 
scholars  contribute  toward  missions  from  an  intelligent 
motive,  is  largely  one  of  placing  in  the  hands  of  the  su- 

232 


MISSIONS 

perintendent  or  teachers  for  use  at  the  right  moment  such 
topics  and  information,  including  illustrative  objects, 
maps  and  pictures,  as  will  enable  them  to  present  the  fields 
of  the  world  from  an  attractive  and  humanly  interesting 
standpoint,  and  that  the  first  essential  is  to  secure  the  co- 
operation or  initiative  on  the  part  of  the  superintendent, 
or  some  one  not  charged  with  so  many  duties  who  has 
time  to  read  missionary  literature,  in  order  to  bring  the 
topics  of  interest  before  the  school  in  a  suitable  way,  in  the 
very  few  minutes  which  can  be  allowed,  generally  at  the 
close  of  the  session.  I  believe  that  sacred  geography 
and  history  is  not  confined  simply  to  the  Holy  Land, 
and  that  human  interest  in  the  boys  and  girls  in  other 
lands  on  the  part  of  boys  and  girls  in  American  Sunday- 
schools  should  be  living  and  real.  .  .  .  My  thought  is 
to  have  the  missionary  topics  so  introduced  as  not  to 
crowd  the  regular  exercises  and  lesson,  but  to  be  healthy 
and  stimulative  and  a  natural  part  of  the  exercises  and 
teaching.  In  order  to  accomplish  this  it  seems  to  me 
that  quality  and  aesthetic  presentation,  to  use  a  pedagog- 
ical term,  should  be  striven  for  rather  than  quantity.  I 
think  a  good  deal  of  injury  has  been  done  by  reading 
long  letters  and  articles,  and  making  long  speeches  which 
did  not  present  the  subject  in  a  vivid  way.  I  am  hoping 
that  we  may  develop  a  plan  which  will  correlate  what  is 
said  from  the  superintendent's  desk  with  what  is  taught 
by  the  teacher  and  taken  home  by  the  scholar,  with  an 
illustration  on  the  wall  which  will  stand  as  an  attractive 
memento,  possibly  being  the  same  as  is  contained  in  the 
leaflet  or  paper  distributed  to  the  scholars.  1  would  sug- 
gest gems  of  stories  with  illustrations  of  boys  and  girls 
of  different  nationalities,  whose  purposes  and  ideals  have 
been  changed  through  contact  with  missionaries,  or 
through  coming  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  and  who  have  *a  like  precious  faith  with  us,'  and 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

consequently  a  fellowship  with  us  in  our  spiritual  inher- 
itance. Very  few  of  our  missionary  writers  have  had  the 
gift  of  telling  brief  stories,  so  that  the  right  sort  will  not 
be  found  or  produced  at  a  very  rapid  rate." 

2.  The  whole  school  as  a  missionary  society,  organ- 
ized with  the  regular  officers,  president,  vice-president, 
secretary  and  treasurer,  with  regular  monthly  or  quar- 
terly meetings  at  which  reports  are  read,  addresses  given, 
plans  suggested,  etc.,  is  an  approved  plan.  Frequently 
in  such  a  society  each  class  has  its  treasurer  for  the  care 
of  the  class  pledges  and  collections,  as  an  aid  to  the 
general  treasurer.  In  the  Westminster  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  the  class  secretary 
keeps  a  record  of  the  class  work  and  reports  each  quarter 
to  the  general  secretary. 

In  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  the  Intermediate  Department  and  the 
younger  members  of  the  Main  Department  form  the  mis- 
sion band,  which  holds  special  meetings  with  appropri- 
ate addresses. 

In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Bos- 
ton, Mass.,  there  is  a  Young  Men's  Missionary  Read- 
ing Circle  for  the  consideration  of  missionary  items 
of  interest,  with  the  aim  on  the  part  of  the  leaders 
to  stimulate  missionary  endeavor.  This  circle  usually 
meets  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour  preceding  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  A  similar 
meeting  for  young  women  precedes,  for  half  an  hour,  the 
regular  Friday  evening  church  prayer  meeting. 

The  James  Lees  Memorial  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  has  organized  the  South  American  Mis- 
sionary Company,  which  is  supporting  an  evangelist  in 
Brazil.  They  issue  stock  certificates  at  fifty-two  cents 
a  share,  payable  at  the  rate  of  one  cent  a  week  for  a  year. 
Every  four  weeks  in  this  Bible-school  half  of  the  hour 

234 


n 


235 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

is  devoted  to  a  missionary  exercise.  The  suggestive 
stock  certificate  is  outlined  on  the  preceding  page.  The 
attendant  cards  of  the  missionary  "company"  are  as  fol- 
lows : 


Application  for  Stock 

IN   THE 

SOUTH  AMERICAN  MISSIONARY  COMPANY, 

of  the 

JAMES  LEES  MEMORIAL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


No Louisville,  Ky., 

I  agree  to  take shares  in  the  South 

American  Missionary  Company,  which  is  supportittg 
a  Missionary  ifi  Brazil. 

I pro7nise  to  pay  at  the  rate  of  ^2  cents  per  share 
(/  ce7tt for  each  week  in  the  year),  payable  at  the  end 
of  every  4  weeks. 

Name 

Address - 

When  whole  amount  is  paid,  the  Seal  of  the  Company  will  be  placed 
on  the  Stock  Certificate  issued. 


SOUTH  AMERICAN  MISSIONARY  COMPANY 

OF   THE 

JAMES  LEES  MEMORIAL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 
Frankfort  Avenue  and  William  Street. 


Louisville,  Ky., 

Received  of 

$ for weeks^  payment  oti. shares 

issued  on  Stock  Certificate  No 

Treasurer. 

When  whole  amount  is  paid  and  receipts  returned,  the  Seal  of  the 
Company  will  be  placed  on  the  Stock  Certificate. 


3.  The  monthly  or  quarterly  missionary  services  are 
held  in  schools  organized  as  societies,  and  in  many  that 
are  not  so  organized.  In  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  Dubuque,  la.,  the  reading  of  a  missionary  letter 

236 


MISSIONS 

and  the  singing  of  missionary  hymns  are  substituted  for 
the  usual  opening  exercises  on  the  first  Sunday  of  each 
month.  In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school, 
Boston,  Mass.,  once  a  month  ten  minutes  are  devoted  to 
stimulating  missionary  zeal  by  bringing  in  the  most  in- 
teresting speaker  obtainable,  or  by  some  interesting  mis- 
sionary exercises  by  members  of  the  school,  such  as 
bright,  instructive  missionary  papers,  reports  from  the 
mission  field,  etc. 

The  quarterly  missionary  service  is  more  generally  ob- 
served than  the  monthly  meeting,  and  that  usually  by  hav- 
ing a  missionary  address.  In  the  Nostrand  Avenue  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  the  mis- 
sionary service  is  on  review  Sundays,  and  consists  of  a 
special  programme  and  an  address  by  a  speaker  from 
without  the  church. 

"Special  missionary  days"  is  another  plan  for  keeping 
a  school  informed  and  interested  in  missions,  and  is  fol- 
lowed by  the  First  Westminster  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Keokuk,  la.,  which  has  special  days  for  home 
and  for  foreign  missions,  usually  the  Sabbaths  nearest 
to  Fourth  of  July  and  Christmas.  In  the  First  Baptist 
Sunday-school,  Asheville,  N.  C,  two  of  their  special  days 
are  Orphanage  Day  and  Mission  Day.  On  Orphanage 
Day  special  invitations  are  sent  to  the  parents  and  gen- 
eral invitations  are  extended  to  the  people  of  the  city  to 
visit  the  school,  and  to  join  by  any  contribution  they  may 
wish  to  make  to  the  denominational  orphanage.  The 
school  raises  on  these  days  from  one  to  two  hundred  dol- 
lars, mostly  through  the  little  children,  who  take  great 
pride  in  it,  and  talk  of  "our  little  orphans."  The  most 
inspiring  and  popular  day  is  Mission  Day.  The  whole 
school  looks  forward  to  this  with  great  interest,  and  there 
is  the  strongest  rivalry  among  the  classes  as  to  which 
class  will  make  the  best  record  on  that  day.      The  mis- 

237 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

sionary  spirit  is  made  the  leading  feature  of  the  school 
from  one  end  of  the  year  to  the  other.  On  the  last  Mis- 
sion Day  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars  was  col- 
lected, and  there  was  no  child  in  the  school  who  was  not 
proud  of  that  day.  In  addition  to  this,  the  school  con- 
tributes ten  dollars  a  month  to  missions.  This  is,  indeed, 
an  inspiring  record  of  good  works;  pleasing,  we  know, 
to  the  Master,  whose  dying  mission  was  for  the  world. 

4.  Other  schools  find  it  advisable  to  select  some  spe- 
cial object  toward  which  their  missionary  money  shall 
go.  In  the  Classon  Avenue  Bible-school,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  the  children  vote  by  ballot  for  the  objects  toward 
which  they  wish  to  contribute,  a  printed  ballot  being  pre- 
pared for  the  school  as  follows : 


CLASSON  AVENUE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Objects  for  Contribution. 

1902-3. 


Objects  voted  for  are  to  be  marked  with  X  in  the  margin.  Objects 
not  in  the  following  list  may  be  added  in  the  blank  space  below  it.  Each 
person  may  vote  for  10  objects.  All  ballots  are  to  be  signed.  The  Vote 
will  be  taken  Sunday,  October  5th,  1902. 


Newsboys'  Home. 

Flower  and  Fruit  Charity. 

American  Sunday-school  Union. 

Zahleh. 

Women's  Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

Wayside  Home. 

Home  for  Consumptives. 

Vacation  Fund  for  Working  Girls. 

Seaman's  Aid  Society. 

Women's  Executive  Committee  of  Home  Missions. 

Wyckoff  Heights  Sunday-school. 

Seaside  Home. 

Young  Women's  Christian  Association. 

George  Junior  Republic. 

Sitka  Mission  School. 

Brooklyn  Training  School  for  Girls. 

Colored  Orphan  Asylum. 

Girl's  School,  Tokio. 


Name. 


Class  No. 


238 


MISSIONS 

Another  value  of  such  a  plan  is  that  the  pupils  must 
feel  that  they  are  an  integral  part  of  it, — not  only  bring- 
ing gifts,  but  also  helping  determine  where  they  are  to 
go.  The  Bethel  Presbyterian  Bible-school,  East  Orange, 
N.  J.,  selects  certain  locations  and  certain  schools  in  the 
home  and  foreign  fields  for  aiding  through  contributions, 
and  asks  the  missionaries  in  charge  to  write  them  of  the 
details  and  progress  of  their  work. 

III.  Missionary  offerings,  i.  Honor  recognition 
of  the  best  giving  missionary  classes.  In  the  Nostrand 
Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  the  collection  is  an  important  feature  of  the  mis- 
sionary service.  A  contribution  of  three  dollars  by  a 
class  allows  the  nomination  of  any  one  to  life  member- 
ship in  the  society.  The  classes  in  the  various  depart- 
ments giving  the  largest  pro  rata  amounts  are  the  banner 
classes,  and  are  entitled  to  the  banners  or  flags  for  the 
quarter. 

2.  "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it."  The  Bethlehem 
Sunday-school,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich,  has  quarterly  mission- 
ary meetings,  when  the  children  bring  an  extra  contribu- 
tion, which  goes  toward  supporting  an  orphan  child  in 
India,  whom  the  Sunday-school  has  adopted  and  prom- 
ised to  bring  up  in  the  Christian  religion.  A  picture  of 
the  boy  is  hung  upon  the  wall  of  the  Sunday-school  room, 
inspiring  continuous  interest  and  aid.  The  generous 
missionary  gifts  of  this  school  are  sufficient  not  only  to 
support  this  child,  but  also  to  aid  various  missionary 
causes. 

3.  Special  plans  for  securing  missionary  money. 
First  of  all,  of  course,  the  school  should  be  informed  as 
to  the  nature  and  need  of  the  work,  and  schooled  in  sys- 
tematic voluntary  beneficence.  But  in  addition  to  this, 
there  are  running  expenses  that  must  be  considered.  In 
a  few  schools  the  running  expenses  are  met  either  wholly 

239 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

or  in  large  part  by  the  church,  that  the  offerings  of  the 
pupils  may  be  devoted  to  missions.  Again,  we  find  one 
or  more  Sundays  in  the  month  or  in  the  quarter  set 
apart  when  the  offering  is  wholly  for  missionary  pur- 
poses. 

The  Westminster  Presbyterian  Bible-school,  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich.,  formerly  used  its  offerings  for  the  run- 
ning expenses ;  now  the  church  pays  a  portion  of  the  ex- 
penses, and  the  school,  organized  as  a  missionary  society, 
is  able  to  sustain  two  scholarships,  one  in  the  Asheville 
Home  Industrial  School  for  girls  at  Asheville,  N.  C, 
and  one  in  the  Clear  Creek  School  at  Clear  Creek,  W.  Va., 
and  is  increasing  the  regular  school  collections.  The  su- 
perintendent writes :  **This  home  mission  work  has  proved 
very  successful,  indeed.  We  have  a  large  surplus  in 
the  treasury  and  are  now  preparing  to  enlarge  our  work, 
taking  up  the  support  of  a  Bible  reader  in  China  in  addi- 
tion to  this  home  mission  work." 

In  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  every 
class  has  a  missionary  envelope  in  addition  to  the  regular 
envelope  in  which  they  put  their  contribution  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  school.  The  children  take  turns  in  working 
a  week  at  a  time  to  get  money  for  this  ''Missionary  En- 
velope," which  is  presented  on  Missionary  Sunday  each 
month. 

The  birthday  box  among  the  Primary  children  is  used 
for  missionary  purpose  to  good  effect. 

The  pledge  system,  for  weekly,  monthly  or  quarterly 
contributions,  is  also  enlisted  in  this  work.  The  Greene 
Memorial  Sunday-school,  Roanoke,  Va.,  prints  on  the 
pledge  class-sheet,  which  bears  each  scholar's  signature, 
*Tn  case  of  absence,  the  teacher  or  class  treasurer  is  au- 
thorized to  make  payment  and  collect  on  the  following 
Sunday."  In  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday- 
school,  Decatur,  111.,  each  class  pledges  a  certain  amount. 

240 


MISSIONS 

One  scholar  in  each  class  keeps  a  record  of  the  indi- 
vidual pledges  and  collects  the  money,  reporting  quar- 
terly, when  there  is  a  suitable  missionary  programme. 

IV.  Missionary  committees.  The  missionary  offer- 
ing of  the  Bethel  Presbyterian  School,  East  Orange,  N.  J., 
is  in  charge  of  a  committee,  who  make  it  their  business 
to  ascertain  for  what  purpose  this  monthly  collection  shall 
be  devoted,  and  the  chairman  of  the  committee  reports 
regularly  to  the  school  where  the  money  is  sent  and  what 
is  accomplished  with  it.  Contributions  are  also  made 
regularly  to  local  charities,  and  the  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee and  others  who  can  find  time  make  it  a  point  to 
visit  such  institutions  and  report  on  them  also  to  the 
school.  This  plan  has  proven  very  successful,  the  interest 
of  the  scholars  being  always  kept  up  in  benevolent  work. 
In  the  Willoughby  Avenue  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  a  Benevolent  Committee  keeps  the  missionary  ob- 
jects permanently  before  the  school,  and  is  materially  in- 
creasing the  contributions. 

V.  Practical  missionary  work  by  the  members  of  the 
school.  While  we  teach  the  blessed  and  joyous  service 
of  giving  to  missions,  let  us  also  teach  the  duty  of  being 
missioners  at  home.  The  chapter  in  this  volume  on 
Ways  of  Reaching  and  Securing  New  Scholars  sets 
forth  opportunities  that  are  before  us  all.  We  are  touch- 
ing elbows  with  the  benighted  heathen  every  day. 

"If  you  cannot  cross  the  ocean 

And  the  heathen  lands  explore, 
You  can  find  the  heathen  nearer, 

You  can  help  them  at  your  door; 
If  you  cannot  speak  like  angels, 

If  you  cannot  preach  like  Paul, 
You  can  tell  the  love  of  Jesus, 

You  can  say  He  died  for  all." 


241 


CHAPTER  XVII 

DECISION   DAY 

I.  What  is  the  supreme  and  comprehensive  end  of 
Sunday-school  work?  Is  it  not  that  our  youth  at  the 
last  may  be  full-orbed  and  self-contained  Christians  ?  We 
make  bold  to  say  that  the  great  end  of  all  our  effort,  Bi- 
ble study  and  prayer,  is  to  bring  the  unconverted  to 
Christ,  and  to  deepen  the  spiritual  life  of  those  who  call 
themselves  Christians.  Is  such  statement  commonplace? 
Secular  educators  to-day,  impelled  by  the  light  of  mod- 
ern science  and  psychological  research,  are  educating  the 
Church,  and  all  but  stunning  us  with  the  sense  of  our 
responsibility!  Here  are  the  words  of  a  scientific  edu- 
cator :  **The  end  of  education  is  to  advance  the  youth  in 
his  efforts  to  become  like  the  Infinite.  In  His  image  is 
he  created,  and  every  activity  exerted  should  be  a  striving 
to  realize  the  possibilities  thus  assured."  ^  To  this  end 
Sunday-schools  are  working,  and  are  heading-up  their 
work  in  what  is  called  Decision  Day. 

The  superintendent  of  the  First  Methodist  Sunday- 
school,  Topeka,  Kan.,  Mr.  F.  J.  Thomas,  says :  *'I  am  be- 
coming more  and  more  convinced  that  herein  is  the  par- 
tial solution,  at  least,  of  the  much-mooted  question  of  how 
to  keep  the  young  people  in  the  Sunday-school.  Get 
them  identified  with  the  Church  before  they  are  sixteen 
years  old.  If  a  child  is  old  enough  to  love  its  father  and 
mother,  and  know  it,  it  is  old  enough  to  love  God  and 

*  The  Study  of  the  Child,  by  A.  R.  Taylor,  Ph.D.,  Introductory, 
p.  xxxviii. 

242 


DECISION  DAY 

know  it."  The  superintendent  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Mr.  F.  D.  Jolly,  says: 
*'We  feel  that  unless  scholars  of  our  school  can  be  brought 
to  confess  Christ  while  they  are  young,  we  are  very 
apt  to  lose  them.  Many  of  them  drift  away  from  us  un- 
less we  get  a  good  hold  on  them,  and  even  after  we  have 
enrolled  their  names  with  the  Church  there  is  danger  that 
they  get  away  from  us,  thinking  that  they  do  not  need 
the  Sabbath-school."  Many  pages  could  be  covered  cit- 
ing similar  earnest  words  from  earnest-hearted  superin- 
tendents and  pastors,  who  realize  that  the  ultimate  of 
all  work  in  the  Sunday-schools  should  be  a  living  union 
of  their  individual  members  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
2.  Results  of  purposeful  work.  Working  with  the 
spiritual  end  in  view,  many  schools  report  annually  of 
goodly  numbers  becoming  members  of  the  Church.  Thou- 
sands upon  thousands  have  come  into  church  member- 
ship in  this  way.  The  First  Baptist  Sunday-school,  In- 
dianapolis, Ind.,  with  an  average  attendance  of  about  four 
hundred,  has  averaged  about  twenty-five  conversions  a 
year  for  several  years.  In  the  Poplar  Street  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  the  average  of  those 
deciding  for  Christ  on  Decision  Day  has  been  fifty.  In 
the  First  Methodist  Sunday-school,  Topeka,  Kan.,  there 
have  been  as  many  as  thirty  who  have  decided  in  a  single 
Sunday,  and  in  a  single  year  the  number  has  reached  one 
hundred.  Mr.  J.  H.  Montgomery,  of  the  First  Baptist 
Bible-school,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  says :  *'We  count  it  an 
unfruitful  year  when  many  do  not  choose  the  Saviour  as 
Lord  and  Master."  Dr.  George  F.  Hand,  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  West  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Bing- 
hamton,  N.  Y.,  says :  "A  pupil  rarely  remains  long  in  our 
school  without  becoming  a  Christian.  There  is  an  at- 
mosphere in  the  school  which  makes  religion  seem  at- 
tractive.    We  know  nothing  of  the  disorder  of  which  so 

243 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

many  superintendents  and  teachers  complain.  After  con- 
version, we  try  to  build  up  our  pupils  in  the  spiritual  life. 
The  result  is  that  I  have  often  made  the  remark  that  I 
believed  we  could  thoroughly  equip  another  school  as 
large  as  our  own  with  a  competent  outfit  of  officers  and 
teachers."  Similar  results  are  reported  from  many 
schools. 

Another  gain  of  keeping  the  spiritual  aim  of  the  work 
steadily  in  view  is  that  it  raises  the  religious  atmosphere 
of  the  school.  True,  the  Bible-school  is  a  school,  but 
in  neither  a  narrow  nor  a  sectarian  sense;  it  is  for  the 
moral  and  religious  education,  as  well  as  instruction  of 
youth,  and  as  such  the  function  of  the  school  is  to  educate 
the  emotions  as  well  as  the  mind.  Only  through  a  main- 
tained spirituality,  therefore,  can  pupils  be  wholly  relig- 
iously impressed.  Being  so  impressed,  the  religious  at- 
mosphere of  the  school  spreads  through  the  homes  of  the 
pupils,  making  impression  there  even  on  the  careless  and 
indifferent. 

3.  Decision  Day :  What  it  is  and  why  it  is.  We  may 
say  that  Decision  Day  is  appointed  as  a  definite  time 
when  the  question  of  one's  personal  relation  to  Christ  can 
be  brought  strongly  before  the  members  of  the  school.  It 
is  needed  in  that  it  opens  a  way  to,  and  encourages  de- 
cision for,  Christ,  thus  lessening  the  likelihood  of  young 
people  waiting  ''till  to-morrow,"  or  ''till  too  late."  De- 
cision Day  is  also  helpful  in  keeping  emphatically  before 
all,  young  and  old,  the  fact  that  the  Sunday-school  is 
an  ever-open  way  to  God,  and  for  coming  into  closer  com- 
munion with  Him.  The  day,  therefore,  should  mean  not 
only  the  bringing  in  of  new  disciples  to  Christ,  but  also 
the  coming  nearer  of  the  older  disciples  to  Him.  This 
latter  point  is  emphasized  in  the  Walnut  Street  Presby- 
terian Sunday-school,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  as  strongly  as 
is  the  former. 

244 


DECISION  DAY 

When  may  Decision  Day  best  be  observed  ?  Local  con- 
ditions must  largely  determine.  But  there  is  inspi- 
ration in  keeping  a  day  in  common  with  other  schools  of 
a  State.  Most  schools  have  one  Decision  Day  yearly, 
but  some  schools  have  more.  The  Collingwood  Avenue 
Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Toledo,  Ohio,  observes 
three  Sundays  as  Decision  Days :  the  second  Sundays  be- 
fore communions,  the  church  having  communion  service 
quarterly.  The  Prospect  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  observes  Decision  Day  when  the 
lessons  lead  up  to  it,  and  some  particular  lesson  sug- 
gests it. 

4.  Plan  and  preparation  for  Decision  Day.  "Come, 
let  us  have  Decision  Day  next  Sunday," — that  is  one 
way  of  ''planning"  and  of  faiHng.  The  time  to  plan  for 
Decision  Day  is  with  the  ''Amen"  of  the  last  Decision 
Day !  The  spiritual  problem  of  individual  pupils,  and  of 
classes,  should  be  talked  over  by  teacher  and  superintend- 
ent; and,  when  advisable,  taken  up  at  the  teachers'  meet- 
ings, that  it  may  be  talked  over  and  prayed  over.  There, 
too,  should  be  special  prayer  and  plan  on  the  part  of 
teachers  and  officers.  I  could  name  schools  where  prayer 
meetings  of  teachers  and  officers  are  held  for  weeks  be- 
forehand, superintendents  writing  personal  letters  to 
teachers  relative  to  the  work. 

WALNUT  STREET  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  January  10,  1902. 
My  Dear  Friend  : 

Are  there  any  members  of  your  Sunday-school  class 
who  have  not  publicly  accepted  Christ  as  their  Saviour? 
At  the  meeting  of  the  teachers  and  officers  of  our  Sunday- 
school  held  last  Monday  evening,  it  was  this  subject — 
the  spiritual  life  of  the  individual  members  of  our  classes 
— to  which  we  gave  our  earnest  and  prayerful  considera- 

245 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

tion.  Indeed,  our  experience  last  Monday  evening  was 
not  unlike  some  of  the  experiences  of  the  early  Chris- 
tian Church  about  which  we  are  now  studying  in  the 
Acts.  We  were  deeply  impressed  by  the  fact  that  we  can 
have  the  power  and  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  our 
Sunday-school  to  just  as  great  a  degree  as  at  the  time 
of  Pentecost,  if  you  and  I,  the  teachers  and  officers,  are 
willing  to  open  the  way. 

Those  who  were  present  Monday  evening  decided  upon 
a  definite  course  of  action  looking  toward  the  immediate 
bringing  to  Christ  of  all  those  members  of  our  classes 
who  are,  as  yet,  outside  of  Him  (with  the  exception,  of 
course,  of  the  youngest  members  of  the  school).  The 
first  thing  that  we  decided  upon  was  to  meet  together, 
teachers  and  officers  only,  at  quarter  past  ten  o'clock 
next  Sunday  morning,  January  12,  in  the  Sunday-school 
room,  for  prayer  over  the  spiritual  life  of  our  classes. 
Will  you  not  be  with  us  at  that  time?  I  earnestly  hope 
that  you  will,  knowing  definitely  at  that  time  what  mem- 
bers of  your  class,  if  any,  need  our  special  prayers,  al- 
though you  will  not,  of  course,  be  asked  to  mention  any 
names. 

At  this  meeting  Sunday  morning  there  will  be  an 
opportunity  for  free  discussion  of  whatever  further  plans 
it  seems  wise  to  make.  The  last  Sunday  of  this  month 
was  set  apart  as  a  special  Decision  Day  for  the  Sunday- 
school. 

May  we  all  be  willing  to  be  led  in  just  the  right  way 
by  our  Heavenly  Father,  and  may  we  have  your  personal 
sympathy  and  co-operation  and  prayers  in  this  special 
work,  is  the  prayer  of 

Your  sincere  friend, 


Living  through  the  year  in  the  spirit  of  Decision  Day 
is  the  plan  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
The  superintendent,  Mr.  C.  S.  Dearborn,  says :  "We  have 
no  plan  with  reference  to  conversion,  but  aim  to  teach 
Christ  in  every  lesson,  so  that  hardly  a  month  goes  by 
that  we  do  not  have  some  members  of  the  school  con- 

246 


DECISION  DAY 

fessing  their  Saviour  and  enlisting  in  His  service.  De- 
cision Day  brings  a  few  more,  but  the  steady  ingathering 
through  the  year  is,  in  my  judgment,  of  much  more  im- 
portance." We  are  agreed  that  we  should  expect  and 
work  for  constant  results.  Now,  a  question:  Why  such 
effort  for  sustained  spirituality  and  adaptation  to  the  in- 
dividiial  needs  of  pupils?  A  world  of  light  has  been 
let  in  on  the  subject  of  conversion;  "the  philosophy  of 
the  change  called  conversion  has  undergone  changes." 
We  cannot  now  enter  fully  into  this  subject,^  germane 
as  it  is,  but  one  or  two  statements  should  be  made.  First, 
It  is  all  wrong,  the  cursed  sophistry  of  a  wild  traditional 
belief,  to  teach  that  every  child  must  experience  some 
great  revolution,  or  even  change  of  feeling,  in  becoming 
a  Christian.  Unless  our  homes  and  churches  are  all 
wrong,  our  children  will  be  taught  the  very  opposite  of 
expecting  a  change  of  feeling,  or  of  purpose,  in  religious 
experience!  I  believe  in  regeneration,  but  I  also  believe 
that  regeneration  can  take  place  so  early  in  life  that  one 
cannot  know  when  it  took  place!  John  the  Baptist  was 
"filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  from  his  mother's 
womb."^  It  would  be  as  rational  to  ask  some  children 
when  they  commenced  to  love  their  father  and  mother 

^  The  following  references  are  appended  for  the  help  of  those 
who  desire  to  study  the  subject  of  conversion  in  the  light  of 
modern  thought : 

Daniels,  A.  H. :  "The  New  Life :  A  Study  of  Regeneration." 
Am.  Jour,  of  Psychology,  October,  1893,  Vol.  VI. 

Lancaster,  E.  G. :  "Psychology  and  Pedagogy  of  Adoles- 
cence."    Fed.  Sent.,  July,  1897,  Vol.  V. 

Lenba,  J.  H. :  "A  Study  in  the  Psychology  of  Religious  Phe- 
nomena."    Am.  Jour,  of  Psy.,  April,  1896,  Vol.  VII. 

Starbuck,  E.  D. :  "A  Study  of  Conversions."  Am.  Jour,  of 
Psy.,  January,  1897,  Vol.  VIII. 

Starbuck,  E.  D. :  Psychology  of  Religion,  Scribners,  New 
York,  1899. 

'  St.  Luke  1 :  15. 

247 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

as  to  ask  them  when  they  first  loved  God.  They  have 
always  loved!  Let  Decision  Day  be  to  such  youth  the 
time  of  bearing  witness  of  that  love! 

But  with  all  our  youth  spiritual  crises  may  arise.  There- 
fore, it  must  be  remembered  "that  moral  and  religious 
growth  is  possible  only  as  a  result  of  successive  decisions ; 
and  in  the  great  majority  of  cases  such  decisions 
are  accompanied  with  no  small  introspection,  and  often 
with  actual  moral  struggle.  The  psychology  of  religion 
enables  us  to  treat  this  matter  with  such  precision  that 
conversion  has  come  to  have  a  distinct  pedagogical  sig- 
nificance. Speaking  generally,  these  crises  come  in  the 
periods  of  early  adolescence  and  of  early  maturity.  .  .  . 
In  the  case  of  boys  and  girls,  the  hindrances  to  the  correct 
decision  spring  less  from  doubt  than  from  indifference 
to  ideals.  ...  In  the  second  period  of  crises,  that  of 
the  maturing  life  of  the  youth,  the  difficulties  are  pretty 
generally  due  to  actual  moral  deadness  or  to  intellectual 
doubts."^ 

Statistics  show  that  the  age  of  special  religious  interest 
is  from  "twelve  to  sixteen."  Such  brief  statements  are 
sufficient  as  suggestion  of  the  urgent  need  of  prayer,  and 
of  head  and  heart  preparation  in  the  work  of  leading  lives 
heavenward. 

5.  We  now  ask  very  thoughtfully.  How  shall  the  exer- 
cises for  Decision  Day  be  conducted?  Usually  the  lesson 
is  omitted;  the  exercises  being  earnest  and  spiritual,  and 
suited  to  the  day,  including  prayers  and  hymns,  short  ad- 
dresses by  pastor  and  superintendent,  and  sometimes 
brief  testimonies  by  the  older  members  of  the  school. 
Then  the  whole  or  a  part  of  the  lesson  time  is  given  as 
"conversation  time,"  through  the  withdrawal  of  teachers 
and  classes  by  themselves  for  personal  word  and  prayer 

^Principles  and  Ideals  for  the  Sunday-school,  Burton  and  Mat- 
thews, pp.  148,  149. 

248 


DECISION  DAY 

on  the  subject  of  personal  religion.      What  next?     The 
use   of   the   following   card,   prepared   by    Mr.    Willard 


S.  S.  CENSUS  AND   DECISION    DAY. 

"Choose  you  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve." 

Joshua  24  :  15. 
He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me." — Matt.  12  :  30. 


"The  Master  calleth  for  thee." 

"  Not  willing  that  any  should  Perish,  but  that  All  should  come  to 
Repentance."— 2  Peter  3  :  9. 

"  For  all  have  sinned," — Rom.  3  ;23. 


WHERE   ART  THOU? 

1.  Professing  Christian  and  Church  member. 

Name 

Church 

2.  Professing  Christian,  but  not  a  Church  member. 

Name 

3.  Not  a  Professing  Christian. 

Name. 

4.  God  helping  me,  I  choose  henceforth  to  lead  a  Christian  life. 
Name 

Address 

Teacher Date 


"  How  long  halt  ye  between  two  opinions."—!  Kings  18  :  21. 


HOW  TO   BECOME  A  CHRISTIAN. 
"  Repent  Ye." — Acts  2  ;38  ;  Luke  13  :  3. 
"  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus."— Acts  16:31:  John  5  :  24. 
"Confess  Me." — Matt.  10:32:  Rom.  10:9. 
"Call  on  the  Lord."— Acts  2  :2i. 
"  Do  His  Will." — John  7:17'  Acts  26  :  iq. 


A  choice  made  in  a  moment  may  cause  you  joy  or  sorrow  forever. 
God  loves  you  and  will  help  you  as  you  Trust  and  Obey. 


B.  Wilson,  Field  Secretary  of  the  Rhode  Island  Sun- 
day-school Association.  Many  Decision  Day  cards 
have  come  before  me,  but  I  know  of  no  card  so 
suited    to    our    need    as    is    this    card.     All    pupils    can 

249 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

sign  it;  their  exact  religious  status  is  obtained  by  it;  no 
statement  of  religious  change  is  exacted  of  all  by  it ;  and 
the  line  ''Not  a  professing  Christian"  must  force  one, 
having  to  sign  it,  to  think  seriously — to  such  the  card 
may  be  preparation  for  better  things.  In  the  use  of  cards 
over-urging  should  be  carefully  avoided,  and  care  exer- 
cised that  the  "decision"  may  not  be  the  result  of  excite- 
ment and  mere  emotional  feeling. 

The  closing  exercises  should  include  a  bright,  hopeful 
hymn,  as  well  as  brief,  fervent  prayers,  and  encouraging 
words  to  those  who  have  made  decisions. 

Remark.  A  suggestion  has  been  made  by  the  Evan- 
gelistic Committee  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  that  it  might  be  helpful  if  those  pastors 
whose  schools  observe  Decision  Day  should  preach  on  a 
topic  appropriate  to  that  day,  and  with  the  whole  service 
in  keeping. 

6.  After-plans.  After  young  people  have  made  pub- 
lic confession  of  their  faith,  it  lies  with  their  teachers  and 
other  church  workers  to  see  that  these  young  people  do 
not  fail  of  making  good  their  profession  through  want 
of  knowing  what  to  do  and  how  to  do  it,  or  through  want 
of  help  and  encouragement !  The  following  letter  of  the 
Ashland  Avenue  Baptist  Bible-school,  Toledo,  Ohio, 
places  the  matter  clearly  before  its  teachers  and  before  us : 

Toledo,  O.,  February  19,   1902. 

Dear  Fellow  Worker: 

We  have  reason  to  rejoice  that  seventeen  of  our  young 
people  took  a  decided  stand  for  Christ  last  Sunday. 
Many  others  are  thinking  about  accepting  Christ  and 
will  decide  soon.  We  desire  to  urge  upon  you  two  things : 
First.  If  any  of  your  class  made  the  decision  last  Sun- 
day, will  you  not  see  them  soon  and  help  them  into  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  Christian  life?  We  are  ready 
to  help  you,  and  the  pastor  has  already  mailed  to  each 

250 


DECISION  DAY 

of  the  seventeen  a  leaflet  entitled  "Good  News  for  You," 
outlining  the  steps  of  entrance  into  the  Christian  life. 
Some  of  them  may  understand  the  whole  matter  clearly, 
but  we  must  not  assume  that  their  signing  the  card  or 
rising  means  in  every  case  conversion.  They  are  in 
earnest  and  ready  to  become  Christians,  but  may  need 
some  instruction.  We  must  leave  to  you  in  a  large 
measure  the  work  of  instructing  and  leading  them  into 
the  Church  and  of  putting  them  into  some  line  of  Chris- 
tian work.  We  trust  you  will  not  rest  satisfied  until 
you  have  accomplished  these  results.  Second.  We  hope 
you  will  enlist  those  already  Christians  and  these  new 
recruits  with  yourself  in  a  definite  and  earnest  effort  to 
win  the  other  members  of  your  class.  Unite  in  a  prayer 
circle  for  them  and  plan  to  reach  the  unconverted  ones. 
Make  it  the  supreme  purpose  of  your  work  as  teacher  to 
secure  genuine  results,  and  keep  at  it.  Any  day  may  be 
a  "Decision  Day."  A  maxim  of  business,  "Keeping  ever- 
lastingly at  it,  brings  success,"  applies  to  Christian  work 
also.  Our  opportunity  is  great;  the  time  is  short;  the 
reward  is  glorious. 

"Lift  up  your  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields ;  for  they  are 
white  already  to  harvest.  And  he  that  reapeth  receiveth 
wages  and  gathereth  fruit  and  life  eternal." 

Yours  for  Christ  and  the  Church, 

Carey  W.  Chamberlin,  Pastor. 
John  D.  R.  Lamson,  Superintendent, 

Ashland  Avenue  Baptist  Bible-school. 


251 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

communicants'  classes 

"Sandy/'  said  a  church  father  to  a  young  Scotchman 
who  presented  himself  as  a  candidate  for  church  member- 
ship, "how  many  Commandments  are  there  ?"  ''One  hun- 
dred," was  the  prompt  reply.  ''No,  no!"  said  the  sur- 
prised elder.  "You  better  wait,  Sandy,  till  you  know  your 
Bible,  and  come  another  time."  Going  from  the  church, 
Sandy  met  a  companion  coming  to  be  "sounded"  in  the 
"doctrines."  Sandy  said :  "If  they  ask  you  how  many 
Commandments  are  there,  what  are  you  going  to  say?" 
"Ten,  of  course."  "Well,"  said  Sandy  knowingly,  "you 
might  as  well  go  home.  I  tried  them  on  a  hundred,  but 
that  wouldn't  do."  Fortunately,  most  people  know  "how 
many"  Commandments  there  are.  But  do  young 
communicants  know  the  meaning  of  the  simplest  essen- 
tials of  the  Christian  faith  outside  the  great  cardinal  doc- 
trine of  the  Atonement  of  Christ?  We  believe  that  the 
strong  Christian  is  the  informed  Christian,  and  that  the 
growing  Christian  is  the  grounded  Christian.  But  how 
many  of  all  those  uniting  with  our  churches  could  give  the 
simplest  intelligent  answers  of  questions  such  as  these: 
What  did  baptism  do  for  you?  What  is  the  nature 
and  meaning  of  the  Holy  Communion  ?  What  does  joining 
the  Church  do  for  you?  How  does  joining  the  Church 
obligate  you?  How  should  one  take  the  holy  emblems 
of  bread  and  wine? 

I.     Value  of  communicants'  class  instruction.      Now 
one  ought  to  have  for  one's  own  sake,  if  for  no  other  rea- 

252 


COMMUNICANTS'  CLASSES 

son,  simple,  intelligent  answers  to  such  questions.  Chris- 
tian growth  is  related  to  Christian  truth.  People  de- 
sire to  know  what  they  believe  and  why  they  believe. 
There  are  things  that  ought  to  be  taught,  and  explic- 
itly explained,  about  sin  and  temptation,  Christ  and  sal- 
vation, what  it  is  to  be  a  Christian,  faith  and  prayer.  Chris- 
tian growth  and  Christian  character.  The  home  train- 
ing and  Sunday-school  training  on  these  subjects  is  usu- 
ally spread  over  long  periods  of  time,  if  taught  at  all.  It 
is,  therefore,  helpful  to  have  such  subjects  presented  in  a 
series  of  studies  or  lectures,  when  such  subjects  can  be 
presented  in  a  clear,  concise  and  comprehensive  way. 
This  method  helps  to  classify  and  to  clarify  knowledge 
for  pupils,  and  **to  rivet  and  clinch"  the  truth.  Such  is 
the  purpose  and  work  of  the  communicants'  class. 

2.  There  is  a  growing  recognition  in  practically  all 
Protestant  denominations  of  the  urgent  necessity  of  com- 
municants' classes.  Rev.  Charles  E.  Jefferson,  D.D., 
says :  "Instruction,  painstaking,  continuous,  systematic 
instruction  .  .  .  this  is  the  crying  need  of  the  Christian 
Church  of  our  day.  .  .  .  We  have  had  Niagaras  of  ex- 
hortation ;  let  us  now  have  clear-cut,  definite,  positive  in- 
struction." ^ 

Similar  words  have  been  spoken  recently  by  Rev.  Fran- 
cis E.  Clark,  D.D.,  Rev.  C.  H.  Patton,  D.D.,  and  other 
distinguished  leaders  of  Christian  thought  and  work. 

3.  Many  churches  already  have  done  splendid  work 
through  their  communicants'  classes.  Mr.  H.  H.  Pike, 
of  St.  George's  Church,  New  York,  says:  "Being  a 
Church  school,  we  take  various  means  of  teaching  the 
Catechism.  Members  of  the  Sunday-school  must  attend 
the  Confirmation  class  two  years ;  must  know  the  Cate- 
chism wxll  before  they  join  the  Confirmation  class.     After 

^  From  an  address  before  the  International   Council,   Boston, 
September,  1899. 

253 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Confirmation  they  are  watched  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
are  brought  regularly  to  communicants'  classes  prior  to 
the  first  Sunday  of  the  month.  Upon  these  young  com- 
municants the  strength  and  resources  of  the  parish, 
through  its  clergy,  deaconesses  and  teachers,  are  brought 
to  bear  until  we  find  our  youth  are  firmly  built  in  as  regu- 
lar members  and  communicants.  The  rector  directs  what 
should  be  studied,  but  appoints  a  committee  of  experi- 
enced Sunday-school  teachers  to  sketch  out  the  details, 
which  are  then  submitted  to  him." 

In  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Topeka, 
Kan.,  probationers  are  organized  into  classes,  and  a  reg- 
ular six-months'  course  of  study  is  given  them  from  the 
Probationers'  Handbook.'^ 

In  the  Trinity  Reformed  Church,  Canton,  Ohio,  the  pas- 
tor forms  a  catechetical  class  at  New  Year,  and  teaches 
them  at  the  Sunday-school  hour.  This  is  made  up  of 
Sunday-school  scholars,  and  at  Easter  they  unite  with  the 
church,  usually  about  twenty-five.  This  is  outside  of  his 
Saturday  class.  Many  scholars  are  gathered  into  this 
church  in  this  manner. 

For  boys  and  girls  up  to  sixteen  or  seventeen,  the  Oli- 
vet Memorial  School,  New  York,  has  connected  with 
the  church  graded  classes  for  religious  instruction  on  week 
evenings ;  these  classes  are  the  complement  of  those  in  the 
Sunday-school,  and  are  not  free  for  all,  but  only  for 
members  who  hold  tickets.  They  are  very  popular  and 
very  effective ;  four  of  them  held  on  Friday  evening  each 
week  will  average  an  attendance  of  thirty  each.  The 
membership  of  this  church  is  largely  built  up  from  the 
Sunday-school  and  from  the  week  evening  classes  for 
worship  and  religious  instruction ;  there  is  scarcely  a  com- 
munion service  when  a  number  of  young  people  do  not 

^This  book  can  be  obtained  from  Methodist  Episcopal  Book 
Concerns. 

254 


COMMUNICANTS'  CLASSES 

come  into  membership  with  the  church.  The  pastor,  Rev. 
William  Denman,  D.D.,  says :  *'We  find  that  the  Sunday- 
school  leads  to  the  church,  and  to  the  church  only." 

In  Christ  Church,  Norwich,  Conn.,  the  older  scholars 
are  taken  into  the  rector's  class  before  graduation  to  re- 
view in  lectures  the  most  important  doctrines,  to  make 
sure  that  they  clearly  understand  the  Christian  faith. 
Printed  synopses  of  these  lectures,  giving  references  and 
definitions,  are  placed  in  the  hands  of  each  child  to  keep, 
covering  the  following  subjects: 

Baptism. 

Confirmation. 

Lord's  Prayer  and  Ten  Commandments. 

Creed  and  Church. 

Holy  Communion. 

Faith. 

Renunciation. 

Bible.  ^ 

Prayer. 

The  awakened  interest  in  the  communicants'  classes 
has  been  further  suggested  to  me  by  appeals  for  infor- 
mation relative  to  the  teaching  and  methods  of  such 
classes.  It  is  unfortunate  that  so  little  has  been  pub- 
lished on  this  subject. 

4.  What,  then,  is  the  content  of  such  instruction?  A 
comprehensive  series  of  lectures  is  that  used  by  the  Rev. 
Emery  H.  Porter,  D.D.,  rector  of  Emmanuel  Church, 
Newport,  R.  I.  The  following  are  the  subjects  and  out- 
lines of  the  lectures: 

I.      MEANING  OF  YOUR  BAPTISM. 

I.  It  has  a  meaning.      It  is  no  mere  form. 
What  do  people  think  that  it  means? 

a.  Nothing  at  all,  an  empty  form. 

b.  A  ceremony  of  dedication,  a  pretty  service. 

c.  A  superstitious  charm,  medicine  in  illness. 

d.  Something  of  vague,  indefinite  blessing. 

255 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

2.  What  does  it  mean? 

The  Catechism  answer — "Wherein  I  am  made  a 
member  of  Christ,  the  child  of  God  and  an  in- 
heritor of  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

a.  The    sacrament   of   initiation    into   the    Christian 

Church. 
Takes   the   place  of   circumcision   in   the  Jewish 
Church. 

b.  Stands  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin. 

c.  The  gift  of  grace  and  help.     The  Holy  Spirit  a 

beforehand  gift:  prevenient  grace  with  which 
to  meet  and  ward  off  evil  when  it  comes. 

3.  We  have  the  gift.      What  are  we  to  do  with  it? 

No  completed  act. 

It  looks  on  to  Confirmation  and  the  religious  life. 

The  office  of  god-parents :  so  helpful  when  right- 
fully understood  and  exercised. 

Infant  baptism  implies  parental  training  and  the 
Church's  tender  care. 

II.      MEANING    OF    YOUR    CONFIRMATION. 

1.  History   of  the  rite. 

Acts  8:14-17;  19:1-6;  Heb.  6:2. 

An  apostolic  custom. 

Not  a  sacrament — but  an  ordinance  of  the  Church. 
The  coming  of  age  of  the  baptised.  Its  place  be- 
tween   the   two    sacraments. 

2.  Meaning  of  the  word. 

To  confirm — is  to  ratify  former  vows. 
To  be  confirmed — to  be   strengthened   by   God   the 
Holy  Spirit. 

3.  What  does  it  do? 

Chiefly  it  is  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

It  is  a  time: 
To  complete  a  form.er  act. 
To  bring  many  waverings  to  a  decision. 
To  take  a  positive  stand  on  the  Lord's  side. 
To  be  admitted  to  the  privilege  of  the  Holy  Com- 
munion. 
To  unite  with  people  in  the  Church's  active  work. 

Fitness  for  Confirmation  is  in  the  intelligent,  prayer- 
ful desire  to  love  and  serve  Christ  in  His  Church. 

256 


COMMUNICANTS'  CLASSES 

You  give  something — yourselves. 
You  receive   something — health   and   strength  from 
above. 

III.      DUTY  OF  SERVING  GOD  IN   HIS   CHURCH. 

1.  Why  in  His  Church?      Why  not  outside? 

The  Church  not  a  mere  organization  but  an  or- 
ganism. 

The  Church  divinely  ordered,  no  man-made  institu- 
tion. 

2.  Advantage  of  inspiration  and  fellowship. 

a.  Benefit  like  that  of  family  life. 

Like  that  of  membership  in  a  lodge,  or  associa- 
tion in  a  regiment. 

b.  Advantage  of  declaring  one's  self  with  others.  No 

life  can  be  lived  alone. 

c.  Common  Creed,  common  worship.    The  influence 

of  Christian  environment. 
d.  Christians  together  can  extend  Christianity  in  all 
the  world. 

3.  The  Church  consists  of  the  whole  company  of  the 

baptised. 

That  is  the  meaning  of  the  Church  Catholic  Bap- 
tism is  the  door. 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  the  family  meal. 

IV.    THE    SERVICE    OF    GOD. 

1.  When  can  one  be  confirmed? 

As  a  rule  from  fourteen  years  of  age — according  to 
intellectual  and  spiritual  preparation. 

Confirmation  is  the  coming  of  age  in  the  responsibil- 
ity of  religious  decision. 

2.  The  claims  of  Christ  and  His  Church.      Give  Him 

the  freshness  and  powers  of  youth.  Serve  Him  as 
many  years  as  possible.  Insurance  tables  tell  us  a 
child  of  fifteen  has  forty-four  years  of  Christian 
service. 

3.  Hindrances  in  the  way  of  serving  Christ. 

a.  Not  good  enough. 

b.  Another  year  will  do. 

c.  Waiting  for  feelings. 

d.  The  things  to  be  renounced. 

e.  The  imperfections  of  Christians. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

V.    WHY  THIS  CHURCH? 

1.  What  leads  to  the  choice  of  one's  Church. 

a.  Birth,  and  justly. 

b.  One's  friends. 

c.  The  parish  minister. 

d.  The  service. 

e.  Social  advantages. 

Some  are  good  reasons  and  some  are  not. 

2.  Claims  of  this  Church. 
a.  Primitive. 

h.  Evangelic  truth. 

c.  Apostolic  Order. 

d.  Form  of  worship. 

e.  Prayer  Book  piety. 

f.  Training  of  children. 

3.  Common  objections. 

a.  Formalism. 

b.  Lack  of  emotional  religion. 

c.  Worldliness. 

d.  Breadth. 

e.  Extreme  practices. 

VL    HOLY   COMMUNION. 

1.  The  highest  act  of  worship. 
History  of  its  institution. 

Intended  to  be  perpetual — "Until  He  come." 

2.  An  act  of  obedience :  "Do  this,"  etc. 

Names:  Lord's  Supper;  Holy  Communion;  Eu- 
charist. 

3.  The  richest  means  of  grace. 

Christ's  gift  of  Himself  to  the  soul  for  strengthen- 
ing and  refreshing.  We  live  in  Him  by  His  living 
in  us. 

4.  A  memorial  before  God. 

Not  mere  commemoration,  like  a  picture. 

An   ever-renewed   offering   of   the   once   completed 

sacrifice. 
"Ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  He  come." 

5.  Preparation  for  it. 

a.  No  magic  rite. 

b.  No  mere  badge  of  membership. 

c.  A  participation  of  Christ. 

258 


COMMUNICANTS'  CLASSES 

d.  His  presence  real  because  spiritual. 

e.  As  frequent  as  helpful. 

The  loyalty  of  Dr.  Porter  to  his  own  church  is  apparent 
in  these  lectures.  We  are  learning,  are  we  not,  that  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  loyalty  without  bigotry  ?  Sectarianism 
is  a  sin — nothing  less.  Christianity  means  loyalty — noth- 
ing less.  We  may  say  that  the  more  loyal  one  is  to  one's 
home,  the  better  citizen  one  is.  And  we  may  reason  simi- 
larly of  one's  relation  to  one's  church.  Whatever  our 
church,  our  young  communicants  should  be  acquainted 
with  an  epitome  of  its  history  and  with  the  essentials  of 
its  polity. 

Along  with  such  a  series  of  lectures,  one  might  help- 
fully use  the  booklet  Doctrines  and  Duties,^  by  Rev. 
John  L.  Keedy,  for  parallel  reading  or  study.  The  book- 
let is  arranged  for  conversational  use  in  a  pastor's  train- 
ing class,  and  presents  in  a  plain,  fresh  and  forceful 
way  the  great  fundamental  truths  of  the  Christian  religion 
and  of  Christian  living. 

5.  Class  work.  The  hour  of  meeting  and  method 
of  teaching  must  be  determined  by  local  conditions.  The 
usual  instruction  is  through  informal  lectures  on  week- 
day evenings,  presenting  great  truths  tersely  and  plainly, 
quietly  and  directly,  as  from  heart  to  heart.  Members 
of  the  classes  should  also  be  invited  to  hand  in  any  ques- 
tions that  they  may  desire  to  be  answered. 

Who  should  attend  the  communicants'  class?  Let  any 
one  come.  Announce  that  the  meetings  are  open  to  all, 
to  old  and  young,  to  members  of  the  church,  and  to  any 
who  have  interest  in  the  subjects,  as  well  as  to  those  who 
have  decided  that  they  desire  to  unite  with  the  church. 
This  general  invitation  is  encouraging  to  the  hesitant  and 

*  Ten  cents  a  copy,  one  dollar  a  dozen.  Obtained  from  Rev. 
John  L.  Keedy,  Lysander,  N.  Y. 

259 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

timid,  who  as  yet  do  not  desire  to  commit  themselves. 
As  lectures  progress  such  persons  are  often  among  the 
first  to  be  persuaded  to  right  decisions,  through  the  awak- 
ening power  of  truth.  Preparatory  to  public  announce- 
ment of  the  lectures  a  list  of  possible  pupils  should  be 
made  out,  personal  invitations  extended,  and,  if  possible, 
an  enrolment  made  of  such  as  are  willing  to  join  the  class. 
These  visitations  and  conversations  are  likely  to  reveal 
many  personal  needs. 

6.  Bibliography.  As  an  aid  in  the  preparation  of  lec- 
tures and  conversation  courses  for  communicants'  classes, 
we  suggest  the  following  booklets:  Great  Truths  Simply 
Told,^  by  George  L,  Weed;  The  Earnest  Communi- 
cant^ and  Confirmation,'^  by  the  Most  Rev.  Ashton 
Oxenden,  D.D. ;  In  His  Steps,""  by  J.  R.  Miller,  D.D. ; 
Duties  of  the  Church  Member  to  the  Church,^  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Murphy,  D.D. ;  Baptism  and  Confirmation,'^ 
by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Phillips  Brooks,  D.D. ;  A  Summary  of 
Christian  Doctrine,^  by  President  Francis  L.  Patton, 
D.D.,  IX.D. ;  Plain  Catechetical  Instruction  for  Young 
Communicants,^  by  the  Rev.  John  Barr;  Notes  for 
Lectures  on  Confirmation,^  by  Rev.  Charles  John 
Vaughan,  D.D. 

^George  W.  Jacobs  and  Company,  publishers,  1216  Walnut 
Street,   Philadelphia. 

^  The  Westminster  Press,  publishers,   Philadelphia. 

^  The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  publishers,  Philadel- 
phia. 

*  E.  P.  Dutton  and  Company,  publishers,  31  West  Twenty-third 
Street.  New  York. 

°  Macmillan  and  Company,  London,  England. 


260 


CHAPTER  XIX 


HOME  DEPARTMENT 


As  the  Sunday-school  gains  in  value  and  dignity  through 
intelligent  appreciation  of  the  work  that  it  has  to  do,  and 
through  the  standard  of  work  that  it  aims  to  accom- 
plish; as  the  idea  of  the  "Sunday-school"  as  a  place  only 
for  children  and  young  people  is  displaced  by  the  idea 
of  the  ''Bible"  school  as  a  place  where  all  may  engage  in 
systematic  study  of  the  Scriptures,  the  school  will  aim 
higher  and  reach  farther  each  year  of  its  existence.  The 
Home  Department  is  but  a  natural  outcome  of  this  out- 
reaching. 

I.  History  of  the  Home  Department.  The  first  Home 
Department  was  organized  in  New  York  State  in  1881. 
The  need  of  Bible  study  among  those  who  could  not  at- 
tend Sunday-school  was  not  new,  but  no  plan  had  been 
formulated  for  this  work  till  W.  A.  Duncan,  Ph.D., 
secretary  of  the  Chautauqua  Assembly  in  1881,  now  presi- 
dent of  the  International  Home  Department  and  field  sec- 
retary of  the  Congregational  Sunday-school  and  Pub- 
lishing Society,  saw  the  possibility  of  "extending  the 
boundaries  of  the  Sunday-school  to  the  farthest  limits  of 
the  parish,"  through  the  Home  Class  or  Home  Depart- 
ment, giving  all  Sunday-school  rights  and  privileges  to 
every  one  who  would  study  at  home,  record  and  report 
such  study.  Bishop  Vincent,  on  hearing  of  Dr.  Dun- 
can's plan,  said :  "There  has  been  no  thought  or  plan  so 
important  and  far-reaching  in  its  possibilities  since  the 
first  Sunday-school  was  organized.      It  makes  the  Sun- 

261 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

day-school  as  broad  as  the  parish.  Years  ago  I  thought 
of  everything  you  have  done,  but  I  neglected  to  connect 
my  work  with  the  Main  School  and  my  plans  failed." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Seventh  International  Sunday- 
school  Convention,  held  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,^  the  following 
action  was  unanimously  taken :  ''Your  committee  desires 
to  recognize  the  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday-school 
as  presented  by  Dr.  W.  A.  Duncan  of  New  York,  and  to 
commend  the  same  to  Sunday-school  workers  throughout 
the  world.  We  believe  the  adoption  of  this  plan  will 
increase  the  membership  of  the  Sunday-school  and  ex- 
tend its  benefits  to  many  who  cannot  regularly  attend 
its  session.  Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  con- 
vention that  the  Home  Department  of  the  Sunday-school 
is  a  most  practical  and  efficient  method  of  Sunday-school 
work,  and  we  do  most  heartily  commend  its  adoption  by 
all  schools,  and  urge  that  all  State  and  provincial  asso- 
ciations make  definite  and  systematic  efforts  to  secure 
its  general  adoption." 

The  Home  Department  has  grown  steadily,  though  not 
so  rapidly  as  the  Christian  Endeavor  movement,  which 
was  begun  about  the  same  time,  and  is  growing  larger 
and  stronger  every  day.  In  1897,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Inter- 
national Sunday-school  Executive  Committee  in  Philadel- 
phia, one  of  the  conditions  of  the  "banner  township"  was 
made  that  of  ''making  Home  Department  work  one  of  its 
special  features."  At  the  present  time  the  membership 
in  the  Home  Department  in  the  different  parts  of  the 
United  States,  Canada,  England  and  Australia  is  esti- 
mated at  more  than  half  a  million.  The  wonderful  pos- 
sibilities and  growth  of  this  work  is  further  suggested  by 
the  State  of  Indiana,  which  in  1894  had  no  Home  De- 
partment, but  which  had  in  1898,  four  years  later,  six 
hundred  and  twenty-five  classes  with  sixteen  thousand 
^August  26-September  5,  1893. 
262 


HOME  DEPARTMENT 

eight  hundred  and  seventy-four  members,  and  with  every 
county  Sunday-school  association  having  adopted  the 
Home  Department  as  a  special  part  of  its  work.  There 
are  townships  now  in  Missouri  where  every  individual 
is  connected  in  some  way  with  Bible-school  work;  and 
where  in  fifty-two  school  districts  every  family  is  con- 
nected with  the  Sunday-school,  and  in  three  hundred  and 
ninety  families  every  member  is  connected  with  the 
school.^     Such  citations  could  be  multiplied. 

2.  The  object  of  the  Home  Department  is  to  engage 
in  Bible  study  those  who  cannot  well  be  members  of  the 
regular  Sunday-school:  the  sick,  the  aged,  busy  parents, 
children  and  families  who  because  of  distance  from  the 
church  or  other  reason  find  it  practically  impossible  to 
attend.  There  are  many  shut-ins  and  shut-outs,  young 
men  in  drug  stores,  on  railroads,  and  in  multitudinous 
occupations  that  preclude  attendance  on  the  session  of 
Bible  study  at  the  church. 

3.  Organization.  The  Home  Department  superin- 
tendent is  the  binding  and  inspiring  force  of  this  work. 
By  means  of  his  reports  to  the  main  school  from  the  de- 
partment, and  to  the  members  of  the  department  from 
the  main  school,  by  personal  visitation  and  supervision 
of  the  work,  he  keeps  the  department  in  its  place  as  an 
integral  part  of  the  church-school.  The  measure  of  in- 
terest and  fidelity  of  the  superintendent  (usually  a  wom- 
an) of  the  Home  Department  largely  determines  the 
measure  of  its  success.  The  superintendent  should  have 
full  power  to  appoint  visitors  and  all  needed  helpers.  She 
can  also  do  much  in  keeping  the  pastor  and  church  offi- 
cers informed  of  any  needed  calls. 

When  visitors  are  appointed,  each  visitor  has  a  class 

^Address  by  Dr.  Duncan,  at  the  New  York  State  Sunday-school 
Convention,  Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  June  10,  1902,  and  International 
Sunday-school  Convention,  Denver,  Col.,  June  26,  1902, 

263 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

under  her  care,  and  she  is  supposed  to  call  on  the  mem- 
bers as  often  as  practicable,  aiding  and  encouraging  them 
in  their  work,  receiving  their  offerings,  reports,  etc.  Vis- 
itors do  not  teach  the  lesson  usually.  Mrs.  Stebbins, 
secretary  of  the  Home  Department  of  the  Massachusetts 
and  Rhode  Island  Sunday-school  Associations,  suggests 
that  a  class  of  twelve  is  of  a  convenient  size  for  a  busy 
woman.  By  setting  aside  one  afternoon  a  week,  say 
Thursday,  for  her  class  visiting,  she  can  easily  see  each 
member  of  her  class  at  least  once  a  quarter.  Usually  it 
is  the  visitor  who  carries  the  lesson  helps,  record  cards 
and  papers  to  the  members  of  her  class,  though  in  some 
schools  the  boys  are  organized  into  a  messenger  service 
for  such  and  other  helpful  work,  wearing  a  badge  while 
on  duty.^ 

The  classes  may  be  of  different  kinds,  classified  in  a 
Normal  Class  leaflet  by  the  International  Home  Depart- 
ment Association  as  (i)  individual,  (2)  family,  (3) 
neighborhood,  (4)  correspondence.  Members  of  a  class 
may  be  studying  in  dift'erent  grades  and  never  meet  to- 
gether for  lesson  study,  but  being  under  the  care  of  one 
permanent  visitor,  are  considered  a  class.  The  corre- 
spondence classes  are  for  those  who  are  so  distant  that 
they  cannot  be  reached  regularly  by  personal  visitation. 

For  study  the  usual  lesson  quarterlies  and  papers  are 
generally  used.  In  some  schools  the  home  study  slips  ^ 
are  used.  In  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school, 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  the  members  of  the  Home  Depart- 
ment each  receive  The  Sunday-school  Times  instead 
of  the  quarterly,  the  superintendent  believing  that  it  fur- 
nishes more  interesting  material  for  the  adults  who  form 

^  For  information  of  "messenger  service"  plan,  address  Mrs. 
Flora  V.  Stebbins,  17  Custom  House  Street,  Providence,  R.  I. 

*  See  Chapter  VIII.,  on  Ways  of  Awakening  Interest  in  Bible 
Study. 

264 


HOME  DEPARTMENT 

this  department.  The  following  application  card  is  ex- 
planatory of  what  is  expected  of  the  members  of  the  Home 
Department. 


APPLICATION  CARD. 

//  not  being  convenient  for  me  to  attend  the  regular 
sessions  of  the  Sunday-school,  I  desire  to  become  a 
7ne?nber  of  ^^^  j^^^^^  Department 

OF   THE 

JAMES   LEES   MEMORIAL   PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

And  I  promise  to  undertake  the  regular  weekly 
study  of  the  Sunday-school  Lesson  in  my  ho7ne,  and  to 
try  to  give  each  Lessoji  not  less  than  one-half  hour's 
study  during  the  week.  If  I  desire  to  discontinue  this 
after  a  three  months'  trial,  I  will  notify  the  visitor  or 
the  Superintendent  of  the  Hofne  Department. 

Name 

Address 

Record  No Date 

Frankfort  Avenue  and  William  Street,  Louisville,   Ky. 


In   the   North   Avenue   Baptist    Sunday-school,   Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  a  simpler  form  is  used. 


APPLICATION  CARD 

FOR   THE 

HOME  DEPARTMENT  FOR  BIBLE  READING  AND  STUDY. 


Name 

Address 


Please  Return  to  the  Superintendent. 


A  Bible  mark  explaining  the  work  and  given  to  mem- 
bers is  lettered  as  follows : 

265 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


THE  HOME  DEPARTMENT  FOR  BIBLE  STUDY  WILL  HELP  YOU 


Home  Department  for  Bible  Reading  and  Study. 

No  subject  is  more  prominent  just  now  in  the  discussion  of  secular 
education  than  that  of  "  University  Extension."  It  has  been  defined  as 
"an  attempt  to  carry  the  university  to  the  people  when  the  people  cannot 
come  to  the  university."  So  the  "  Home  Department  "  has  for  its  object 
the  awakening  of  interest  in  Bible  study  in  cur  homes. 

It  is  no  doubt  the  experience  of  most  of  us  that  we  have  found  it 
difficult  to  keep  up  the  systemniic  reading  and  study  of  the  Bible.  In 
order  that  each  one  may  be  helped  to  do  this,  a  cordial  invitation  is  given 
to  join  this  department  and  pursue  a  course  of  reading  and  study  pre- 
scribed by  specialists  in  the  work. 

Thf  Bible  is  the  book  of  all  others^  to  be  read  at  all  a^es,  and  in  all 
conditions  of  human  life:  not  to  be  read  once  y  ortiuice^  or  thrice  through^ 
then  laid  aside,  but  to  be  read  every  day.— John  Quincy  Adams. 

The  tnost  learned,  acute,  and  diligent  student  cannot,  in  the  longest 
life,  obtain  an  entire  knowledge  of  this  one  volume.  He  -will  leave  the 
•world  confessing  that  the  tnore  he  studied  the  Scriptures  the  fuller  con- 
victions he  had  of  their  inestimable  ivorth. — Sir  Walter  Scott. 


[Reverse  side.] 
BIBLE  MARK  FOR  THE  HOME  DEPARTMENT. 

The  Object: 

The  object  of  the  Home  Department  is  to  promote  the  more  regular 
use  of  God's  word  for  home  reading  and  study. 
For  Whom: 

It  is  established  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  can  attend  neither  of  the 
Bible  Classes  at  the  Church  or  who  can  be  present  only  occasionally. 

Plan: 

A  card  of  membership  will  be  given  to  those  who  desire  to  join. 

A  copy  of  the  weekly  "  Times "  will  be  furnished  each  member. 
This  paper  contains  the  "Outline  Inductive  Studies"  prepared  by  the 
American  Institute  of  Sacred  Literature,  a  list  of  "  Daily  Home  Read- 
ings," "  The  International  Lessons,"  "  Critical  Notes,"  and  a  variety  of 
articles  by  eminent  writers. 

Each  one  can  select  from  the  above  that  which  is  most  helpful  and 
suggestive. 

Each  member  will  devote  one  half  hour  or  more  each  week,  to  the 
reading  and  study  of  the  references  selected. 

Please  put  in  Bible. 


In  the  Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  the 
members  of  the  Home  Department  have  button  badges, 
violet  and  yellow,  with  the  words  ^'Baptist  Temple  Bible 
School,  Home  Dept.,"  printed  round  the  yellow  border.^ 

The  Home  Department  usually  shares  in  the  receiving 
of  diplomas  for  covering  the  prescribed  courses  of  Bible 

*  The  buttons  may  be  obtained  at  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society,  1420  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia.  Also  address  any 
Sunday-school  publishing  company. 

266 


HOME  DEPARTMENT 

study.  Sometimes  red  seals  are  placed  on  the  record 
envelopes  at  the  close  of  each  quarter,  as  recognition  of 
faithful  study. 

e.  The  record  of  study  is  variously  made,  sometimes  on 
a  card  with  an  envelope  for  collections,  and  sometimes 
with  envelope  and  record  card  combined,  as  follows : 


MONTHLY   REPORT   OF   THE   HOME   DEPARTMENT 

JAMES  LEES   MEMORIAL   PRESBYTERIAN   SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Frankfort  Avenue  and  William  Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

For  the  month  enditig /po 


Sunday 


3d. 


4th.       5th. 


Total 


Lesson  Studied 


Offering 


Name 

Address. 


Mark  the  time  spent  each  week  in  study  of  the  lesson  in  the  blank 

space. 
When  an  offering  is  made,  put  it  inside  the  envelope  and  mark  the 

amount  in  the  blank  space. 
Fill  out  and  seal  the  envelope  and  give  it  to  the  visitor  at  the  end  of 

the  month,  at  which  time  you  will  receive  another  envelope. 

Visitor' s  name 


The  record  envelope  used  in  the  Greene  Memorial 
Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Roanoke,  Va.,  is 
quarterly,  and  attendance  on  the  main  school  is  suggested 
by  asking  the  members  to  mark  their  study  of  the  lesson 
with  this  line  /,  and  attendance  on  the  main  school  X- 

4.  Objections  to  the  Home  Department  answered. 
Workers  who  are  not  familiar  with  Home  Department 
work  sometimes  hesitate  to  organize  such  department, 
fearing  it  may  draw  from  the  main  school.  But  results 
are  the  very  opposite.  Almost  every  school  that  has 
organized  a  Home  Department  has  reported  increased 
numbers  in  the  main  school,  and  increased  contributions 

267 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

through  the  department.  Churches  have  found  that  it 
means  increased  membership  and  increased  interest  in  all 
church  work;  and  pastors  have  found  that  Home  De- 
partment visitors  have  been  of  valuable  assistance, 
mightily  influencing  the  Christian  life  of  the  home,  often 
aiding  the  minister  by  needed  information,  and  doing  a 
v^ork  that  helpfully  affects  all  parish  life. 

5.  How  to  organize  a  Home  Department.  It  is  not 
difficult  to  organize  a  Home  Department,  if  one  is  sin- 
cerely interested  in  the  work.  First  of  all,  there  should 
be  the  approval,  interest  and  co-operation  of  the  pastor. 
The  next  step  is  to  secure  one  who  thoroughly  under- 
stands the  work  to  present  it  to  the  church  and  congre- 
gation. At  the  same  time  a  suitable  superintendent 
should  be  appointed,  who  will  either  call  on  or  write  per- 
sonal letters  to  the  new  members;  and  who  will  at  once 
thoroughly  organize  the  work,  appoint  visitors  over 
classes  if  advisable,  and  see  that  the  needed  lesson  helps, 
etc.,  are  at  once  distributed.  Class  visitors  may  be  ap- 
pointed when,  as  yet,  there  are  no  class  members.  Vis- 
itors should  be  encouraged  to  make  a  personal  canvass  of 
appointed  districts  of  the  church,  with  view  to  securing 
their  own  class  members.  The  people  welcome  the  work, 
and  a  person  of  usual  tact  will  be  successful.  If  the 
effort  is  to  be  thorough,  personal  work  is  necessary.  In 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Peoria,  111.,  twenty  com- 
mittees were  appointed  to  visit  the  members  of  the  church 
to  secure  their  names  and  enlist  their  support  for  the 
movement. 

6.  Suggestions.  The  officers  and  visitors  should  meet 
occasionally  for  conference;  this  encourages  the  work- 
ers and  ensures  united,  systematic  effort  by  which  the 
work  can  be  extended  and  bettered,  and  the  burden  shared 
more  justly  than  sometimes  happens.  The  following  in- 
vitation is  suggestive  of  the  plan  of  such  conferences  : 

268 


HOME  DEPARTMENT 
SUNDAY-SCHOOL  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

City  of  Washington,  March  25,  1901. 

My  Dear  Friend: 

It  is  with  much  pleasure  that  I  inform  you  of  our  pur- 
pose to  hold  a  Conference  of  the  Visitors  of  the  Home 
Department  of  our  Sunday-school  on  Sunday  next,  March 
31,  in  the  Banquet  Room  of  the  Sunday-school  House 
from  5.30  to  7.15  o'clock. 

The  proposed  programme  is  as  follows :  the  Conference 
at  5.30  o'clock,  when  we  hope  to  have  present  with  us 
Miss  Grace  E.  Griswold,  a  prominent  Home  Department 
worker  of  New  York,  who  will,  I  am  sure,  be  able  to 
help  and  cheer  us  in  our  work  here. 

Tea  will  be  served  at  6  o'clock,  after  which  our  pastor 
and  some  of  the  officers  of  the  Sunday-school  will  speak 
briefly. 

It  may  cost  you  a  bit  of  personal  sacrifice  to  attend  this 
Conference,  but  I  confidently  count  on  your  presence !  It 
is  necessary  that  we  should  know  for  just  how  many  to 
prepare  tea,  so  please  fill  out  the  accompanying  card 
and  send  it  to  Miss  Kate  S.  White  as  soon  as  possible. 

Cordially  yours,    


City  of  Washington. 

I  will  be  present  at  the  Conference  of  the  Home  De- 
partment Visitors  to  be  held  in  the  Sunday-school  House, 
Sunday,  March  31,  1901,  from  5.30  to  7.15  o'clock. 


To  Miss  Kate  S.  White,  171 1  P  Street. 

A  liberal  use  of  cards,  invitations,  etc.,  is  decidedly  help- 
ful. They  aid  in  keeping  members  of  the  Home  De- 
partment in  touch  with  the  main  school.  Special  invita- 
tions, too,  should  be  sent  for  Sunday-school  entertainments 
and  other  exercises,  such  as  Children's  Day,  Rally  Day 

269 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

and  other  special  services.  The  Home  Department  of  the 
Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brooklyn,  has  its  own  rally 
or  reception  on  the  Monday  following  Easter.  In  the 
Government  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South 
Mobile,  Ala.,  the  following  was  mailed  on  a  New  Year's 
Day: 


GOVERNMENT  STREET  M.  E.  CHURCH,  SOUTH. 


Mobile,  A  la. ,  Jan.  /,  igo2. 
To  Members  of  the  Home  Department  : 

We,  the  Supermtende7its  a7id  Officers  of  the  Gov- 
ernment Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
send  greeting  a7td  best  wishes  for  a  very  prosperous 
and  happy  New  Year. 

We  wish  to  efnphasize  the  fact  that  there  is  always 
a  place  for  you  in  the  inain  school,  a7id  a  cordial  wel- 
come whenever  you  can  come,  either  regularly  or 
occasionally. 

There  are  now  more  than  200  enrolled  in  the 
Home  Department,  but  there  should  be  double  that 
number,  a7id  we  ask  your  hearty  co-operation.  If 
you  know  any  that  would  probably  join,  will  you 
kindly  give  their  names  and  addresses  ? 

We  trust  that  your  uniott  with  us  in  the  weekly 
study  of  the  lesson  has  proved  both  a  pleasure  and  a 
blessing.  If  so,  we  will  be  glad  to  know  it ;  and  if 
not  J  why  not  ? 

To  this  end,  we  ask  you  to  answer  the  enclosed 
questions  promptly,  sending  them  to  the  Superintend- 
ent of  Home  Departme7it. 

Thanks  are  yours  in  advance  for  your  kindness 
and  your  prayers  that  each  07ie  77iay  receive  even 
greater  blessings  fro77t  this  year's  study  and  fellow- 
ship with  Yours,  in  Christ, 

MISS  ANNA    MARY  SCLATER, 

Superintendent  of  Home  Department. 

J.  B.  GUMMING,  Pastor. 

A.  C.  BANNER,  Superintendent. 


HOME  DEPARTMENT 
The  questions  are  as  follows  : 


QUESTIONS. 

1.  Do  you  believe  there  should  be  a  Home  Department? 

Ans. 

2.  Have  you  received  your  "  Quarterlies  "  regularly  ? 

Ans , 

3.  Have  you  studied  each  lesson  ? 
Ans. 

4.  If  not,  have  you  studied  whenever  it  was  possible  ? 

Ans. 

5.  Have  you  enjoyed  and  profited  by  this  study  ? 

Ans.     __ 

6.  Do  you  favor  collection  envelopes  for  your  offerings  for  expenses  and 

missions  ? 

Ans. 

7.  If  you  have  not  heretofore  really  been  interested,  will  you  not  now 

renew  your  promise,  and  thus  become  a  blessing  to  the  school? 


Ans. 


i.  Please  give  us  the  name  and  address  of  any  one  whom  you  think 
might  be  induced  to  join  our  Sunday-school,  either  the  regular 
school  or  in  the  Home  Department. 


REMARKS. 


The  members  of  the  Home  Department  should  be  im- 
pressed that  they  are  regarded  as  regular  members  of  the 
church  school,  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  the  school 
and  of  the  library  just  the  same  as  other  members  of 
the  school.  Visitors  should  exercise  watchful  care  of  their 
classes — in  quiet,  unobtrusive  ways — keeping  them  in- 
formed as  to  the  work  of  the  main  school,  encouraging 
them  when  practicable  to  do  some  special  work  for  the 
Master,  and  placing  as  opportunity  admits  and  need  re- 
quires, good  reading  within  the  homes. 

271 


CHAPTER  XX 

TEACHERS   AND   METHODS   OF  TEACHING 

I.  Teachers,  i.  Essential  requisites  of  teachers.  It 
is  not  our  purpose  in  this  chapter  to  speak  of  those  things 
"which  are  most  surely  believed  among  us,"  but  we  do  de- 
sire to  recognize  the  supreme  importance  of  teachers  of 
Christian  truth  being  Christian  teachers.  We  are  in  full 
accord  with  Mr.  Victor  Hugo  Paltsits  of  Christ's  Con- 
gregational Sunday-school,  New  York,  who  says :  "Every 
teacher  should  be  a  professing  Christian.  Any  one  who 
does  not  love  the  Master  enough  to  confess  Him  before 
men  is  not  fit  to  carry  out  our  Master's  injunction 
to  feed  His  lambs.  I  respect  intellectuality  in  the 
school  as  valuable,  but  would  not  have  it  at  the  ex- 
pense of  spirituality.  The  two  combined  are  an  ideal." 
The  successful  schools,  be  it  said,  have  such  ideal. 
Observe,  that  while  we  have  not  lowered  our  spiritual 
standard,  we  have  raised  our  intellectual  standard.  Teach- 
ers must  know  how  to  teach.  Recent  investigations  have 
let  in  a  flood  of  light  on  methods  of  teaching,  and  with 
reasonable  study  the  "average"  teacher  may  employ  pre- 
cise pedagogical  principles,  thereby  increasing  the  amount 
and  value  of  the  work  done,  and  giving  surpris- 
ing pleasure  to  all  doing  it.  For  such  study  we  refer  to 
the  first  three  books  mentioned  in  Chapter  XXV,  page 
318,  to  the  outline  of  plans  in  Chapter  XXHI,  and  also  to 
the  suggestions  for  the  training  of  teachers  in  Chapter 

xxn. 

2.     The    personal    responsibility    of    teachers.     I    re- 
joice   to    believe    that    the    Sunday-school    teachers    of 

272 


TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

Christendom,  with  but  few  exceptions,  are  conscientious, 
untiring,  sacrificing,  working  in  the  spirit  and  devotion 
of  their  blessed  Master,  daring  to  "toil  terribly,"  and  sur- 
passed by  no  other  body  of  Christian  workers  in  their 
noble,  uncomplaining,  and  oftentimes  difficult,  though 
heavenly,  service.  But  there  are  some  exceptions.  A 
superintendent  of  a  large  school  writes :  "The  most  seri- 
ous drawback,  to  my  mind,  is  the  failure  of  some  of  the 
teachers  to  realize  the  responsibility  of  their  position." 
Can  we  not  change  such  conditions  ?  All  is  so  plain  that, 
with  a  word,  I  believe  we  can  help  teachers  to  see  that 
they  are  laying  the  foundations  of  Christian  characters, 
determining  the  eternal  destiny  of  the  lives  under  their 
training,  and  that  the  character  of  this  work  of  the  pres- 
ent time  is  determining  the  character  of  the  Church  of 
times  to  come !  Indeed,  the  great  purposes  of  all  the 
Sunday-school  machinery,  of  its  prayers  and  toil,  of  its 
efforts  to  reach  new  scholars  and  to  retain  the  old,  is  that 
pupils  may  know  the  Word  of  God  and  the  way  to  God. 
The  work  of  the  teacher,  therefore,  is  that  which  gives 
value  to  all  other  work !  On  you,  dear  teacher,  this  bur- 
den and  responsibility  rests.  Pray,  therefore,  to  magnify 
your  office. 

The  statement  comes  from  a  certain  school  that  "all 
teachers  are  required  to  devote  their  entire  time  dur- 
ing the  Sunday-school  session  to  teaching  the  les- 
son, and  no  story-books  are  allowed."  The  infer- 
ence is  that  there  are  schools  where  the  story-book 
is  allowed.  Alas !  such  schools  are  not  infrequent.  I 
regret  that  I  have  learned  again  and  again  of  the  habitual 
use  by  some  teachers  of  the  "story"  in  place  of  the  Scrip- 
ture study.  What  misjudgment!  What  perversion  of 
opportunity!  What  prostitution  of  things  holy!  The 
work  of  the  Sunday-school  is  the  work  of  a  school,  of 
earnest  study,  of  earnest  teaching,  for  the  building  of 

273 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Christian  character  through  the  inculcating  of  Christian 
knowledge.  Let  us  not  feed  children  chaff!  Dare  a 
teacher  ignore  the  fact  that  children  are  gaining  their 
idea  of  God,  and  of  the  relative  importance  of  service 
for  Him,  as  much  from  what  is  not  done  as  from  what 
is  done?  The  teacher  stands  before  the  child  as  in- 
structor and  guide ;  the  child  stands  before  the  teacher  as 
a  learner,  and  also,  if  unconsciously,  as  a  judge  of  the 
reality  of  a  teacher's  purpose,  or  of  the  insincerity  of  his 
belief  and  life.  Do  we  not  often  underrate  the  power 
of  thought  that  a  child  has  ?  Grown  people  do  not  speak 
their  deepest  thoughts,  nor  do  children.  But  it  is  none 
the  less  true  that  the  glimpses  that  we  occasionally  get  of 
a  child's  mind  show  that  he  is  thinking,  and  weighing  the 
value  of  what  he  sees  and  hears.  No  one  likes  to  feel 
that  children  avoid  them  or  dislike  them.  Does  not  that 
feeling  acknowledge  not  only  that  a  child  judges,  but 
also  that  he  judges  correctly?  That  instinctively  with 
his  impressionable  mind  and  heart  he  feels  the  "real"  man 
or  woman?  The  teacher  in  day-school  and  in  Sunday- 
school  has  more  to  do  with  the  future  of  the  boy  or  girl 
than  any  power  outside  of  the  home !  The  realization  of 
this  will  make  the  purpose  of  life  and  work  supremely 
true  and  earnest. 

In  the  Sunday-school  the  teacher's  work  and  work- 
time  should  be  of  first  consideration.  In  this  the  super- 
intendent and  officers  have  opportunity  of  showing  their 
appreciation  of  teachers,  and  of  the  seriousness  of  their 
work.  The  superintendent  of  St.  George's  Sunday- 
school,  New  York,  Mr.  H.  H.  Pike,  recognizing  that 
teaching  is  the  first  and  foremost  consideration  of  the 
school,  says :  "On  the  part  of  officials,  if  anything  is  to 
be  done,  the  question  'Will  it  help  or  hinder  the  teacher 
in  teaching?"  is  asked.  In  this  way  we  are  saved  from 
discouraging  our  teachers  by  asking  them  to  accomplish 

274 


TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

the  impossible,  and  secure  from  them  a  hearty  co-opera- 
tion as  their  confidence  increases  that  we  do  not  gener- 
ally ask  what  cannot  be  accomplished  within  reason  by 
volunteer  workers  and  busy  people,  under  the  limitations 
of  a  school  that  meets  only  on  Sunday  for  a  short  ses- 
sion." 

Various  means  are  employed  to  deepen  in  teachers  the 
sense  of  their  personal  responsibility: 


Dear  Friend  and  Fellow-  Worker  : 

Being  desirous  that  otir  school  shall  attain  greater 
efficiency  iti  the  Master's  service  diimig  the  coining 
year,  I  present  this  card  with  the  request  that  you 
sigti  and  return  it  next  Sabbath.  I  shall  thus  fee 
e7icouraged  iti  knowing  that  I  have  the  co-operation 
of  the  teacher.  Your  fellow-servant, 

Superintendent. 

TEACHER'S   PLEDGE. 
For  the  Year  Beginning  January  I,  1903. 

1.  I  promise  to  be  in  my  place  every  Sunday,  unless  unavoidably 
detained. 

2.  If  it  is  not  possible  for  me  to  be  present,  I  will  provide  a  substitute, 
or  notify  the  Superintendent  before  Sunday. 

3.  If  any  of  my  scholars  are  absent  two  successive  Sundays,  I  will 
visit  them  and  ascertain  the  cause ;  or,  if  unable  to  do  this,  will  notify  the 
Superintendent  of  such  absence. 

Teacher. 

Issued  by  the  New  Haven,  Conn.,  B.  B.  S.  Association. 


In  the  Ashland  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Toledo, 
Ohio,  teachers  are  appointed  by  an  advisory  committee 
and  then  formally  notified  by  letter : 

ASHLAND  AVENUE  BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Toledo,  O.,  January  13,  1903. 

M 

Dear  Fellow  Worker: 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Advisory  Committee  on  the  3d 
275 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

inst,  your  appointment  as  teacher  of  Class  No. (new 

number)  was  confirmed. 

Another  year's  work  is  before  us ;  how  little  we  know 
what  the  result  will  be.  If  I  am  allowed  to  judge  your 
feelings  by  my  own,  you  have  spent  many  discouraged 
hours  during  1902.  Month  after  month  has  passed  with 
no  apparent  results  from  your  labors.  But  at  the  close 
of  the  year  the  Lord  visited  us  with  great  power,  and 
many  for  whom  we  have  worked  and  prayed  so  earnestly 
have  come  out  and  taken  a  bold  stand  for  Christ.  Our 
hearts  have  rejoiced,  and  we  should  take  courage  and 
press  forward  with  a  determination  never  to  be  dis- 
couraged again,  but  to  do  our  work  week  after  week, 
simply  sowing  the  seed  and  watering  it  with  our  prayers, 
and  let  us  rest  assured  that  God  will  bring  the  increase. 
The  Lord  surely  used  Dr.  Hatcher  to  do  a  great  work 
among  us,  and  I  am  sure  that  we  are  all  grateful  to  him 
for  his  aid  in  the  Harvest.  I  have  considered  it  my  duty 
as  superintendent  to  watch  closely  the  records  of  all 
teachers  and  classes,  and  I  have  spent  considerable  time 
in  a  careful  study  of  the  conversions  from  the  Sunday- 
school  during  the  special  meetings,  and  I  am  pleased  to 
state  that  by  far  the  largest  percentage  of  conversions 
have  come  from  those  classes  where  the  teacher's  record 
for  regular  attendance  is  above  the  average.  Regularity 
is  positively  essential  to  successful  Sunday-school  work. 
In  this  connection  I  call  your  attention  to  the  record 
below,  showing  number  of  Sundays  you  were  absent  dur- 
ing the  past  year.  Let  us  all  start  out  on  this  new  year's 
work  determined  to  be  in  our  place  each  Sunday,  unless 
absolutely  impossible,  and  let  us  exert  every  effort  in  our 
power,  not  only  on  Sunday,  but  every  day,  to  build  up  the 
School  and  bring  those  under  our  influence  to  Christ. 

During  the  past  year  we  have  tried  hard  to  improve  the 
School,  but  have  made  no  effort  to  enlarge  it.  It  seems 
now  that  we  must  make  an  effort  to  increase  the  enrol- 
ment, and  to  this  end  I  ask  your  hearty  co-operation  in 
the  plan  which  will  be  fully  explained  to  the  School  on 
next  Sunday.  I  also  urge  every  teacher  and  officer  to  be 
present  at  the  prayer  meeting  to-morrow  (Friday)  even- 
ing, which  will  be  devoted  entirely  to  the  Sunday-school 
work. 

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TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

And  now,  with  an  earnest  prayer  that  God  may  guide  us 
in  all  things  and  bless  every  effort  put  forth  in  His  name 
during  the  coming  year, 

I  am  yours  in  the  work. 

Superintendent. 

You  were  absent Sundays  in  1902.  At  the  be- 
ginning of  1902  your  class  enrolment  was  .      It 

is  now , 

The  First  Presbyterian  School,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich., 
magnifies  the  work  of  teachers  through  a  beautiful  in- 
stallation service  with  the  following  covenant : 

Aware  of  our  responsibility  as  Sunday-school  teachers, 
anxious  to  meet  our  duties  faithfully  and  to  help  one 
another  by  our  common  agreement,  and  relying  on  the 
help  of  Almighty  God  to  meet  our  obligations,  we  do 
solemnly  covenant  with  one  another  and  with  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ : — 

To  be  present  at  every  session  of  the  school  when 
circumstances  permit,  and  when  absent  to  try  to  procure  a 
substitute  or  to  notify  the  superintendent. 

To  prepare  to  teach  in  our  classes  by  previous  study 
and  prayer  and  by  attendance  when  possible  at  all 
teachers'  meetings. 

To  seek  the  spiritual  welfare  of  our  classes,  especially 
the  conversion  of  any  not  yet  Christians,  by  faithfulness 
in  teaching,  by  frequent  visiting,  by  prayer  and  in  other 
fitting  ways. 

To  submit  to  the  rules  of  the  school,  to  co-operate 
with  the  officers  and  teachers  of  the  school  in  promoting 
its  good,  and  to  seek  to  make  the  school  helpful  in  the 
work  of  the  church. 

The  superintendent  shall  here  add: 

"Do  you  thus  covenant  and  promise  ?"  and  the  teachers 
say,  "We  do." 

3.     The  placing  of  teachers.     The  realization  of  the 

277 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

vital  importance  of  wise,  skilful  teaching  must  also  be 
shown  in  the  placing  of  teachers.  When  new  teachers 
have  been  secured,  care  is  to  be  exercised  in  suiting  a 
class  to  a  teacher  and  a  teacher  to  a  class.  Any  teacher 
for  any  class  will  not  do.  They  must  be  adapted  to  each 
other.  The  superintendent  of  the  Nostrand  Avenue  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  says: 
'T  study  my  teachers  and  the  personnel  of  the  classes  and 
try  to  bring  kindred  spirits  together.  The  boy  who  likes 
to  play  and  talk  athletics  I  place  in  the  class  taught  by  an 
athletic,  earnest.  Christian  young  man  for  reasons  that 
are  obvious.  Thus  I  attempt  to  keep  a  balance  in  the 
classes." 

In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Boston, 
Mass.,  when  a  class  is  left  without  a  teacher  a  "substi- 
tute" is  asked  to  take  it  for  a  Sunday  or  two,  or  until  it 
is  seen  whether  teacher  and  class  are  adapted  to  each 
other. 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  change  teachers  even  at 
the  risk  of  hurting  a  teacher's  feelings.  The  school  is 
for  the  proper  instruction  of  the  pupils,  and  the  conser- 
vation of  that  interest  is  of  first  consideration. 

From  the  Silliman  Memorial  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  comes  the  suggestion  of  men  for 
teachers  of  young  men.  My  experience  and  study  im- 
pels the  belief  that  this  is  an  important  suggestion.  Mr. 
Henry  Aird,  the  superintendent  of  this  school,  says :  "As 
far  as  possible  men  are  placed  in  charge  of  the  classes  of 
young  men  and  boys,  not  because  men  are  better  teachers 
than  women,  but  because  their  presence  in  the  school 
aids  greatly  in  the  difficult  task  of  holding  the  young 
men,  and  also  in  preserving  order  in  the  classes." 

4.  Helpful  aids  for  teachers  in  their  work.  "A 
Private  Class  Card"  gives  a  summary  of  what  boys  and 
girls  expect  of  their  teachers  : 

278 


TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 


FOR  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHERS. 


What  have  my  scholars  a  right  to  expect  of  me  as  their  teacher? 

ist.  Certainly  they  have  a  right  to  expect  my  presence  every  Sunday, 
for  my  responsibility  is  to  God  in  this  matter,  and  I  dare  not  absent 
myself  at  pleasure. 

zd.  Certainly  they  have  a  right  to  expect  that  my  management  of 
the  class  will  be  such  as  shall  tend  to  their  fullest  profit  and  enjoyment  of 
the  school. 

3d.  Certainly  they  have  a  right  to  expect  that  I  will  thoroughly 
prepare  myself  and  my  lessons  by  every  available  means.  Why  am  I  a 
teacher  if  I  do  not  teach  ? 

4th.  Certainly  they  have  a  right  to  expect  that  I  will  heartily 
engage  in  all  the  general  exercises  of  the  School,  the  same  as  they  are 
expected  to  do.     Why  not  ?     I  am  their  pattern — their  leader. 

5th.  Certainly  they  have  a  right  to  expect  that  my  interest  in  them 
is  sufficient  to  lead  me  to  look  them  up  if  they  are  absent,  and  to  pay 
them  special  attention^  if  they  are  sick.  I  ought  also  to  pray  for  their 
conversion  and  expect  it. 

6th.  Certainly  they  have  a  right  to  expect  that  I  will  exemplify  in 
my  daily  walk  the  life  I  seek  to  hold  up  before  them  on  Sunday.  I  can- 
not hope  for  success  unless  I  seem  what  I  ought,  and  be  what  I  seem. 

Responsibility?    Yes,  and  privilege.' 


In  another  school  a  ribbon  bookmark  is  given  to  teach- 
ers, lettered  as  follows : 


NORTH  AVENUE  BAPTIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL,  Cambridge,  Mass. 


^''  Everything  worth  having  requires  an  effort  to  secure  it,'' 


Will  r^otyou  and  each  member  of  your  class  assist  in  securing 

1.  Perfect  Quiet  at  stroke  of  bell. 

2.  A  UNIVERSAL  and  enthusiastic  taking  part  in  the  Bible  reading, 
singing,  etc.     Let  no  one  be  silent  then. 

3.  Silence,  when  others  are  speaking  and  while  you  are  teaching. 

4.  A  SPIRIT  OF  WORSHIP  during  the  exercises  of  the  school. 

5.  A  SPIRIT  OF  willingness  to  do  what  will  help  make  our  school 
the  best  possible.     Let  each  one  feel  "  this  is  my  school." 

6.  A  loyal  school,  a  generous  school,  a  Bible  school,  a  studious 
school,  and  a  Christian  school. 


Will  you  not  speak  to  the  members  of  your  class  individually  that 
those  who  are  Christians  may  be  strengthened,  and  that  those  who  are  not 
may  be  led  to  Christ  ? 

"  Let  us  not  be  weary  in  well  doingJ'"' 


Please  speak  to  class  when  they  forget  the  above. 


Keep  this  in  Bible  for  Frequent  Reference. 


^This  Private  Class  Card  is  published  by  the  Toledo  Sunday- 
school  Supply  Co.,  Toledo,  O.,  and  furnished  at  50  cents  per 
100,  post-paid. 

279 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

In  the  Olivet  Memorial  Sunday-school,  New  York,  a 
card  as  follows  is  given  to  each  teacher : 

TO  THE  TEACHER. 

Each  pupil  has  been  provided  with  a  copy  of  the  sug- 
gestions on  the  reverse  side  of  this  card.  The  carrying 
of  them  out  will  depend  largely  on  you.  Please  keep 
a  copy  in  your  class  envelope,  so  that  when  necessary 
you  can  call  the  pupils'  attention  to  it.  Allow  me  to  call 
your  attention  to  the  following : 

1st.  Exercises  begin  at  2.30  precisely.  All  entering 
the  school  after  that  time  must  be  marked  late.  You  will 
gain  in  power  over  the  class  by  being  in  your  seat  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  before  the  time  of  opening. 

2d.  The  class  generally  follows  the  teacher's  lead. 
Lead  your  class  in  singing,  responsive  reading,  answer- 
ing at  review,  etc. 

3d.  Uniformity  in  class  records  is  necessary  in  order 
that  no  injustice  may  be  done  to  the  pupil.  Keep  your 
class  roll  in  accordance  with  the  printed  directions  on  its 
first  page. 

4th.  Use  the  absentee  card  whenever  you  do  not  know 
why  a  pupil  has  remained  away  from  school. 

5th.  In  all  cases  where  you  mark  a  scholar  from  the 
roll,  kindly  fill  up  the  dismissal  blank  and  send  it  to  the 
secretary. 

6th.  Do  not  allow  a  pupil  to  mark  the  roll  nor  to  handle 
the  offering. 

7th.  It  is  difficult  to  obtain  substitutes  during  the  school 
session.  Please  notify  the  lady  superintendent  of  in- 
tended absence,  so  that  your  class  may  be  provided  for  in 
advance. 

8th.  The  money  for  the  running  expenses  of  the  school 
comes  from  the  teachers  and  officers.  Make  up  your 
mind  what  you  ought  to  give,  and  put  it  regularly  into 
the  envelope  marked  "confidential." 

9th.  All  money  contributed  by  the  pupils  is  to  be  put 

280 


TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

into  the  missionary  offering  envelope.     Be  sure  to  mark 
the  amount  of  this  offering  on  the  envelope  each  Sunday. 

loth.  Do  not  hesitate  to  give  a  black  mark  to  a  pupil 
who  persists  in  disorder  after  having  been  warned. 

nth.  Your  absence  from  the  Teachers'  Meeting  hurts 
the  meeting  and  the  school.  H  you  cannot  attend  the 
weekly  meeting,  come  at  least  to  the  business  meeting, 
held  on  the  first  Thursday  evening  of  every  month. 

I2th.  You  can  have  great  influence  over  your  pupils  in 
reference  to  the  Written  Examinations  and  Honor 
Grades.  Post  yourself  on  these  matters,  talk  them  over 
with  the  class,  and  come  to  the  examinations. 

13th.  The  great  end  of  all  our  work  is  the  salvation  of 
the  scholars.  Be  earnest  in  prayer  for  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Look  to  God  for  strength.  Exalt  Christ 
as  the  only  Saviour.  When  discouraged,  "take  it  to  the 
Lord  in  prayer."  Remember  that  you  are  working  for 
eternity. 

14th.  If  there  is  anything  in  connection  with  the  school 
that  you  do  not  understand,  ask  one  of  the  officers,  and 
an  explanation  will  be  cheerfully  given, 

15th.  If  there  is  anything  that  will  help  the  work,  bring 
it  to  the  attention  of  the  teachers  at  the  business  meet- 
ing, held  on  the  first  Thursday  evening  of  each  month. 

Your  fellow-worker, 

Wm.   Denman. 

5.  The  extent  of  a  teacher's  work  is  not  limited  by 
class  teaching.  A  suggestion  of  what  a  working  teacher 
does  in  a  wide-awake  school  is  given  by  the  report  blanks 
used,  a  copy  of  which  is  on  the  following  page. 

In  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  a 
quarterly  report  with  a  somewhat  similar  idea  is  used. 
The  report  states  the  number  of  calls  made  during  the 
quarter,  number  of  communications  sent  during  the  quar- 
ter, number  of  church  members  in  the  class,  number  of 
conversions  during  the  quarter.      Space  is  left  in  which 

281 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


FIRST  METHODIST  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 

Boise,  Idaho. 


TEACHER'S  REPORT. 

For  Month  of - ipo. 

Class  No Teacher 

Class  composed  of. between  ages  of and-.. 

Enrolment  of  Class  beginning  of  Tnonth 

New  Scholars Scholars  left  School 

Reason 


Largest  attendance  during  month : 

Smallest  attendance  duritig  month 

Teacher  absent Sundays 

Number  of  Teachers'  Meetings  atte?tded- 

Number  of  calls  7nade  on  7nembers  of  class 

Nufnber  of  conversions  in  class 

How  many  personal  conversations  have  you  had  with 
members  of  your  class  during  the  past  Tnonth  on  the 
subject  of  their  souVs  salvation 

Teacher. 

Can  you  suggest  any  point  in  the  School  where  you 

think  an  improvement  could  be  made  ? 
Remarks 

^p—  Please  fill  out  the  above  to-day. 

HORACE  E.  NEAL,  Supt. 


the  teacher  may  state  confidentially  any  matter  of  inter- 
est concerning  the  class,  especially  with  references  to 
spiritual  conditions.  The  teacher's  quarterly  report  in 
the  United  Church  Sunday-school,  New  Haven,  Conn., 
calls  for  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  scholars  in  the 
class,  number  of  calls  made  on  each,  whether  parents  at- 
tend church,  and  their  need,  if  any. 

II.  Methods  of  teaching.  When  one  is  to  take  a 
distant  journey,  the  question  asked  is,  "What  is  the  best 
way  of  reaching  there?"      Similarly  in  teaching,  we  ask, 

282 


TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

''What  is  the  best  way  of  reaching  our  end  ?"  This  "best 
way"  is  what  we  understand  by  "method"  of  teaching. 
To  be  exact,  we  must  say  that  there  are  methods  of  teach- 
ing. It  follows,  therefore,  that  choice  of  method  must 
be  determined  by  the  nature  of  the  lesson  to  be  taught  and 
adaptation  to  the  need  of  the  class;  that  is  to  say,  the 
method  must  be  suited  to  the  study,  to  the  ages  and  to 
the  mental  and  spiritual  conditions  of  the  pupils.  The 
method  suited  to  one  class  may  not  be  suited  to  another. 
I.  What  are  the  several  methods  of  teaching?  Omitting 
the  Primary  Department,  methods  of  teaching  may  be 
classified  as  (i)  the  Socratic,  or  question  method;  (2) 
the  recitation  method;  (3)  the  object  method;  (4)  the 
lecture  method;  and  (5)  the  seminar  method. 

(i)  The  Socratic,  or  question  method.  This,  doubt- 
less, is  the  plan  most  largely  used  in  classes.  By  ques- 
tions pupils  are  led  to  think  for  themselves,  and  to  see 
truth  and  lessons  in  a  new  light.  The  system  has  the 
advantage  of  awakening  and  holding  attention,  and  of 
so  impressing  lessons  that  they  "will  not  let  go."  The 
disadvantage  of  the  system  is  the  danger  of  superficial 
or  dull,  and  therefore  unprofitable,  questioning.  There 
IS  also  danger  that  pupils  will  neglect  previous  study  of 
the  lessons.  Therefore,  along  with  this  system  certain 
home  work  should  be  assigned,  on  which  class  recitation 
should  be  required. 

(2)  The  recitation  method.  This  is  the  system  where 
the  pupils  prepare  the  lesson  before  the  Sunday-school 
hour,  and  come  prepared  to  answer  questions  either  orally 
or  on  paper,  the  idea  being  that  pupils  shall  recite  that 
which  they  have  learned.  The  advantages  of  this  method 
in  the  hands  of  a  skilful,  persistent  teacher  are  that  pu- 
pils must  gain  each  Sunday  some  additional  knowledge 
of  the  Bible,  and  form  the  habit  of  home  study.  The 
danger  lies  in  the  mechanical  use  of  the  system  in  the 

283 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

hands  of  incompetent  teachers  who  know  no  more  of  the 
lesson  than  is  required  to  ask  and  answer  dull  ques- 
tions. The  teacher  must  be  bright,  earnest,  and  thor- 
oughly prepared  to  make  the  lesson  time  by  this  method 
interesting  and  profitable. 

(3)  The  object  method.  The  use  of  objects  for  mak- 
ing clear  and  driving  home  the  lesson  is  an  effective  way 
of  teaching.  We  are  familiar  with  this  method  with 
younger  pupils.  Some  teachers  use  it  occasionally  (not 
constantly)  with  older  pupils.  Is  it  not  the  way  Jesus 
taught?  Recall  how  He  pointed  to  ''the  vine,"  "the 
sower,"  "the  fig  tree,"  etc.  Did  He  not  teach  by  throw- 
ing before  eye  and  mind  some  object  or  simple  picture 
of  wondrous  beauty?  A  very  helpful  little  book,  full  of 
suggestions  for  object  teaching  and  replete  with  illus- 
trations, is  The  Teacher's  Cabinet,'^  by  Marguerite 
Cook. 

(4)  The  lecture  method.  This  method  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  larger  and  older  classes,  and  has  the  advan- 
tage of  assuring  absolute  freedom  for  those  in  the  class 
who  can  give  little  or  no  time  to  previous  study,  for  no 
questions  are  asked  by  the  teacher.  Time  also  is  con- 
served by  this  plan,  making  the  lecture  period  a  time  of 
solid  study  and  spiritual  helpfulness. 

(5)  The  seminar  method  for  investigation  and  dis- 
covery is  suited  to  advanced  study.  It  is  not  to  be  un- 
derstood that  these  methods  are  mutually  exclusive. 
Here,  as  elsewhere,  the  law  of  adaptation  controls.  The 
ability  of  pupils  and  the  subject  of  study  determine  the 
method  or  methods  of  teaching.  For  new  light  on  teach- 
ing one  cannot  do  better  than  follow  the  suggestions  in 
the  opening  paragraph  of  this  chapter. 

2.     Epitome  of  suggestions  in  methods  of  teaching. 

*  David  C.  Cook  Publishing  Company,  36  Washington  Street, 
Chicago,  111. 

284 


TEACHERS  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

( 1 )  Know  your  lesson. 

(2)  Know  your  pupils.  To  illustrate,  take  the  pe- 
riod of  adolescence.  There  is  a  time  when  a  boy  does 
not  know  himself,  much  less  is  he  known  by  others.  This 
is  a  time  when  we  must  exercise  all-prayerful  patience  and 
quiet  persistence.  It  is  what  is  called  the  law  of  the 
learner,  knowing  thoroughly  and  familiarly  the  pupils 
taught,  that  has  given  rise  to  new  principles  of  pedagogy. 
It  has  always  been  believed  that  we  must  know  the  les- 
son to  be  taught;  now  it  is  as  clear  that  we  must  know 
the  pupils  whom  we  desire  to  teach.  Hence  our  need  of 
Bible-school  pedagogy.^ 

(3)  Know  the  point  of  contact.  In  other  words,  teach 
by  going  from  the  known  to  the  unknown.  Read 
Du  Bois'  Point  of  Contact,  pages  55-59,  where  you  will 
find  a  fascinating  story  whose  lesson  all  of  itself  sets  forth 
the  philosophy  of  the  point  of  contact  in  teaching. 

(4)  Try  to  find  out  what  the  pupils  know,  rather  than 
what  they  do  not  know. 

(5)  Encourage  pupils  to  think  for  themselves  and  to 
tell  what  they  think. 

(6)  Never  question  pupils  in  rotation ;  keep  them  alert 
through  not  knowing  'Vho  is  next." 

(7)  After  studying  your  lesson,  use  your  imagination. 
See  the  scene,  the  story,  as  it  was,  then  picture  it  to  oth- 
ers in  the  light  of  what  is.  Bring  the  Scriptures  in 
thought  and  application  into  the  life  of  to-day.  Tell 
what  God  did  for  Israel  and  for  Paul;  tell  also  what 
God  is  doing  in  India,  and  Africa,  and  for  us. 

(8)  Keep  in  mind  the  two-fold  work  of  the  Sunday- 
school :  the  impartation  of  Christian  knowledge,  and  the 
creation  and  promotion  of  Christian  character. 

III.     Helpful   literature.      Teachers  will  find  inspira- 
tion and  practical   suggestion  in    Teaching  and   Teach- 
^  See  Chapter  XXHL,  on  Normal  Classes. 

285 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

ers,^  by  H.  Clay  Trumbull.  Teachers  should  also  con- 
sult the  teachers'  library  of  their  Sunday-school.  Your 
work  will  become  easier  for  such  study,  and  of  greater 
power.  Helper  Leaflet  No.  lo,^  by  Marion  Lawrance, 
has  some  terse  sayings,  and  may  helpfully  be  placed  in 
the  hands  of  teachers. 

^Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  publishers,  New  York  City. 
^  The  Marion  Lawrance  Company,  publishers,  Toledo,  O.   These 
leaflets  may  be  had  at  ten  cents  a  dozen  or  fifty  cents  per  hundred. 


286 


CHAPTER  XXI 

teachers'  meetings 

The  teachers'  meeting  is  the  thermometer  of  the  Sunday-school.  As 
the  spirit  rises  in  the  teachers'  meeting  just  so  will  it  rise  in  the  school. 
The  value  of  the  teachers'  meeting  cannot  be  overestimated.  ...  If  the 
superintendent  of  any  school  which  does  not  have  a  teachers'  meeting 
will  go  about  among  his  classes  during  the  teaching  half-hour,  he  will  be 
surprised  to  find  what  different  truths  are  being  taught  from  the  same  les- 
son. There  is  little  or  no  uniformity  about  it.  And  when  he  comes  to 
review  the  lesson  from  the  desk,  he  will  likely  speak  of  things  that  were 
not  taught  at  all,  and  that  are  as  new  to  the  teachers  as  to  the  scholars. 

Marion  Lawrance. 

I.  Weekly  teachers'  meetings.  When  meetings  are 
held  weekly,  the  lesson  and  the  method  of  teaching  are 
carefully  studied.  In  the  Central  Christian  Church,  Lex- 
ington, Ky.,  teachers  are  chosen  with  reference  to  their 
willingness  and  ability  to  attend  the  teachers'  meeting. 
The  time  occupied  is  an  hour  and  a  quarter  preceding  the 
Wednesday  night  prayer  meeting.  A  light  luncheon  is 
served  first  for  those  who  could  not  otherwise  attend.  This 
is  prepared  by  the  lady  teachers,  in  pairs,  and  is 
paid  for  by  the  Sunday-school.  A  special  training  class 
for  teachers  is  conducted  at  3  p.m.  on  the  same  day  for 
all  who  wish  to  prepare  themselves  to  teach,  and  for  any 
who  cannot  attend  the  later  meeting.  Some  workers  ob- 
ject to  having  the  teachers'  meeting  secondary  to  another 
meeting,  but  such  matter  must  be  decided  by  each  school. 
Who  should  lead  the  meeting?  Vary  the  leadership, 
if  possible,  with  pastor,  superintendent  and  teachers.  In 
the  Cortland  Presbyterian  Church,  Cortland,  N.  Y.,  the 
teachers'  meeting  is  held  every  Monday  evening.  A  leader, 
chosen  from  the  teachers,  has  charge  for  a  month,  thus 

287 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

giving  experience  along  that  line  to  several  of  them  dur- 
ing the  year.  In  the  Trinity  Reformed  Sunday-school, 
Canton,  Ohio,  the  lesson  is  taught  to  the  teachers  by  some 
one  of  their  number  Sunday  morning  from  8.30  till  9 
o'clock. 

In  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Boston, 
Mass.,  the  method  that  has  been  most  profitable  has  been 
that  of  having  a  teachers'  tea  from  7  to  7.30  o'clock  Thurs- 
day evenings,  prepared  at  a  cost  of  about  fifteen  cents 
per  plate.  From  7.30  to  8  o'clock  matters  of  general  in- 
terest to  the  school  are  discussed,  followed  by  a  season  of 
prayer.  Then  for  from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  teach- 
ers from  different  departments  prepare  some  phase  of  the 
lesson,  geographical,  or  its  setting,  or  description  of  places 
or  persons.  This  is  followed  till  9  o'clock  by  an  expo- 
sition of  the  text,  with  practical  teachings  and  illustra- 
tions. This  plan  has  contributed  to  the  development  of 
many  teachers.  The  cost  of  the  supper,  which  to  many 
might  seem  an  objectionable  feature  with  some  schools, 
*'might  be  borne,"  the  superintendent,  Mr.  W.  K.  Andem, 
suggests,  "in  turn  by  the  teachers  of  the  various  depart- 
ments, or  perhaps  some  adult  class  in  the  school  would 
like  to  prepare  it  occasionally." 

In  the  First  Presbyterian  School,  Decatur,  111.,  the 
teachers'  meeting  is  held  regularly  on  Friday  evenings, 
taking  no  vacation  for  heat  or  cold.  For  the  past  four 
years  they  have  held  a  normal  class  on  the  same  evening 
in  connection  with  the  teachers'  meeting,  the  first  half- 
hour  being  devoted  to  the  study  of  Dr.  Hamill's  Normal 
Course;  then  forty  or  forty-five  minutes  for  the  study 
and  teaching  of  the  lesson  for  the  next  Sunday.  The 
superintendent  takes  thirty  minutes  in  presenting  the  les- 
son from  the  standpoint  of  a  teacher  of  adult  classes,  the 
last  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  being  given  to  the  teaching  of 
the  lesson  by  some  primary  teacher.     At  these  meetings 

288 


TEACHERS'    MEETINGS 

questions  of  importance  to  the  school  are  frequently  dis- 
cussed and  decided,  any  teacher  having  the  right  to  sug- 
gest any  question  of  importance  to  the  school  or  class. 
The  meetings  are  regarded  as  of  great  value  by  both  the 
church  and  school.  The  pastor  attends  these  meetings, 
and  the  teachers  have  the  help  of  his  presence  and  coun- 
sel. The  sessions  are  conducted  largely  as  the  leader 
would  teach  a  class,  centralizing  on  the  main  point  of  the 
lesson,  getting  side  lights,  illustrations,  etc. 

The  superintendent  of  the  Ashland  Avenue  Baptist 
School,  Toledo,  Ohio,  Mr.  John  D.  R.  Lamson,  has  used 
a  set  of  suggestive  questions  for  a  meeting,  and  to  good 
effect.  It  happens  sometimes  that  our  best  teachers  can 
say  little,  or  will  say  little,  in  a  formal  gathering  of  adults ; 
these  questions,  therefore,  served  to  get  at  the  thoughts 
of  teachers,  their  difficulties  and  problems,  and  also  their 
helpful  suggestions.  The  following  are  a  part  of  the 
questions,  given  as  suggestive  of  a  plan  that  might  be  fol- 
lowed profitably  by  others : 

1.  What  special  method  have  you  adopted  to  induce 
your  scholars  to  study? 

2.  Suggest  a  new  programme  for  opening  exercises. 

3.  Should  a  teacher  feel  any  further  responsibility 
than  simply  trying  to  teach  the  lesson  to  his  class  on 
Sunday? 

4.  Do  you  think  one  hour  is  enough  time  for  the 
Sunday  service? 

5.  Should  the  superintendent  attempt  to  make  an 
application  of  each  lesson  during  the  closing  exercises 
of  the  school? 

6.  How  often  do  you  call  on  your  scholars  at  their 

homes  ? 

7.  At  what  time  in  the  week  do  you  commence  the 
study  of  the  lesson? 

289 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

8.  Is  thirty  minutes  ample  time  for  the  proper  teach- 
ing of  the  lesson? 

9.  Should  lesson  helps  be  brought  into  the  school  by 
the  teachers? 

10.  Suggest  one  point  in  the  management  of  the 
school  where  an  improvement  can  be  made. 

11.  Should  the  superintendent  ask  the  irregular 
teacher  to  resign .'' 

12.  Don't  you  think  it  would  be  a  great  help  in  the 
work  if  all  teachers  would  be  in  position  before  the  be- 
ginning of  the  school,  to  welcome  each  member  of  the 
class  on  his  arrival? 

13.  There  are  five  hundred  thousand  youths  in  the 
State  of  Ohio  out  of  the  Sunday-school.  Do  any  of 
them  live  near  you? 

14.  Do  you  realize  that  you  are  teaching  your  class 
seven  days  a  week  through  your  daily  life? 

15.  Which  has  the  most  weight  with  the  scholar,  the 
thirty-minute  teaching  on  Sunday  or  the  seven  days' 
teaching  mentioned  in  the  last  question? 

2.  Special  weekly  meeting  for  prayer.  A  weekly 
meeting,  not  for  the  study  of  the  lesson,  but  for  prayer, 
has  been  a  source  of  great  help  in  the  Glens  Falls 
Baptist  Sunday-school,  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.  The  teachers 
meet  for  five  minutes  immediately  after  the  close  of  school 
each  Sunday  in  one  of  the  class-rooms.  In  the  Rayne 
Memorial  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  New  Or- 
leans, La.,  a  short  prayer  service  precedes  the  opening  of 
the  school. 

3.  Quarterly  or  monthly  meetings.  The  quarterly 
or  monthly  meetings,  usually,  are  for  the  consideration 
of  school  business  and  methods,  though  sometimes  given 
to  a  lecture  on  some  subject  or  a  review  talk  on  the  les- 
sons. 

The   following   cards   illustrate   the   fidelity   of  many 

290 


TEACHERS'    MEETINGS 

schools  in  this  important  work,  and  suggest  the  methods 
used : 


MEMBERS'  CARD   OF  ADMISSION 

TO  THE 

SUNDAY.SCHOOL  HOUSE  OF  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH 

City  of  Washington. 

Monday  Evening,  March  26,  1900, 

EIGHT   o'clock. 

Occasion. 

An  Illustrated  Talk  by  the  Superintendent  on  the  Life  of  Christ  as 
studied  during  the  first  quarter,  1900. 


(private.) 

Mr 

You  are  expected  to  give  the  teachers  and  officers 
your  views  upon 


Please  do  not  exceed  three  fninutes  in  your  remarks. 

Sincerely  yours. 
West  Presbyterian  Church,  ,^    „    wzv-r  tj?    c,.** 

St.  Louis,  Mo.  ^'  ^-  *^y^^^>  ^^Pt- 


For  the  quarterly  business  meeting  of  the  Calvary  Bap- 
tist Sunday-school,  Washington,  D.  C,  teachers  are  asked 
to  bring  any  new  ideas  they  have,  or  questions  they 
wish  to  ask,  and  hand  them  in  on  a  slip  of  paper  for  an- 
nouncement or  discussion. 

The  West  End  Presbyterian  School,  New  York,  has  a 
monthly  social  for  teachers,  with  a  special  address  or  en- 
tertainment. The  school  departments  alternate  in  fur- 
nishing the  entertainment  for  the  others. 

4.  Annual  Banquet  and  Conference.  The  annual  ban- 
quet is  "a  regular  thing"  in  many  schools,  proving  a  help- 
ful means  of  keeping  up  cordial  relations  among  teachers 

291 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

and  officers,  inspiring  esprit  de  corps  and  giving  fresh 
enthusiasm. 


The  honor  of  your  presence  is  requested  at  a  Ban- 
quet attending  the  Annual  Meeting  and  Election  of 
the  Sunday  Bible-School  of  the  Central  Presbyterian 
Church,  of  Auburn,  N.  V.,  in  their  roo?ns,  on 

Tuesday,  January  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred, 
at  half -past  six  o'clock. 

Kindly  detach  the  accompanying  card  for  your  very  prompt  reply, 
and  thus  make  possible  a  proper  reservation  of  covers. 

John  E.  Mver,  Mrs.  Charles  C.  Dwight, 

Willis  J.  Beechkr,  D.D.,     Miss  Mary  Dunning, 
H.  LeGare  Romig,  Miss  Mary  A.  Willson. 

William  S.  Downer,  Miss  Ellen  M.  Palmer, 

Cotntftittee, 


PUT 

PRIVATE   MAILING   CARD.  ^^^  cent 

Authorized  by  an  Act  of  Congress  of  May  i8,  1898.  stamp 

HERE 


WILLIAM   S.  ELDER, 

124  Genessee  Street, 

Auburn,  N.  Y. 

THIS  SIDE  IS  FOR  THB  ADDRESS. 


The  following  invitation  brings  to  us  two  suggestions ; 
the  gathering  of  department  teachers,  and  the  combina- 
tion of  conference  and  banquet : 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  CALVARY  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

City  of  Washington,  February  i6,  1901. 

Dear  Friend: 

I  take  pleasure  in  informing  you  that  a  conference  of 
the  Officers  and  Teachers  of  the  Adult  Department  of  our 

292 


TEACHERS'    MEETINGS 

Sunday-school  will  be  held  on  Sunday,  February  24,  in 
the  banquet  room  of  the  Sunday-school  House  from  4 
to  7.15  o'clock. 

You  will  doubtless  readily  agree  that  a  conference, 
where  all  attending  will  be  free  to  discuss  various  mat- 
ters of  importance  in  our  Sunday-school  work,  will 
prove  of  decided  benefit.  The  Intermediate  Department 
workers  had  a  conference  on  a  recent  Sunday  afternoon 
which  was  attended  by  all  of  its  teachers  with  two  excep- 
tions.    It  was  a  splendid  success. 

The  programme  proposed  for  our  gathering  of  the 
24th  is  as  follows :  Conference,  4  to  6  o'clock,  which  will 
be  all  too  little  time  for  the  purpose — after  the  conference 
supper  will  be  served  along  with  one  or  two  short  speeches 
for  mind  and  heart  consumption — then  adjournment  at 
7.15  o'clock. 

I  confidently  count  on  you  to  be  present,  even  at  the 
possible  cost  of  some  little  personal  sacrifice.  It  is  neces- 
sary that  we  should  know  for  how  many  to  provide 
supper,  and  I  will  therefore  thank  you  to  fill  out  the  en- 
closed card  and  return  it  to  me  at  your  early  convenience. 
Fraternally  yours, 


In  addition  to  such  gatherings  in  church  parlors,  there 
are  superintendents  who  periodically  invite  their  teachers 
to  their  homes  for  the  purposes  of  conference  and  a  social 
good  time.  As  acquaintance  extends  among  workers 
and  with  work,  we  may  expect  sympathies  to  deepen  and 
results  to  increase.  Thus  will  our  work  go  on,  growing 
in  strength,  bringing  souls  into  the  Kingdom,  and  mak- 
ing all  to  the  glory  of  the  Eternal  Father. 

A  helpful  book  on  this  subject  is  that  of  H.  Clay  Trum- 
bull's Teachers  Meetings:  Their  Necessity  and  Meth- 
ods.^ 


^  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  publishers,  New  York. 


293 


CHAPTER  XXII 

WAYS  OF  SECURING  NEW  AND  SUBSTITUTE  TEACHERS 

I.  Securing  new  teachers.  The  question  once  was, 
"Will  you  teach  ?"  The  question  now  is,  "Can  you  teach  ?" 
Teachers  should  be  chosen,  and  chosen  with  care,  not  in 
any  haphazard  fashion.  Mr.  James  C.  Doty,  Jr.,  super- 
intendent of  the  Flatbush  Congregational  Sunday-school, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  says  he  would  rather  have  a  class  with- 
out a  teacher  several  Sundays  than  to  take  the  first  one 
that  came  along  just  for  the  sake  of  putting  one  in  charge 
of  the  class.  "The  spirit  of  all  Sunday-school  work  is 
centred  in  the  teacher.  If  you  have  good  teachers  you 
will  have  good  classes."  And  the  reverse  is  equally  true : 
poor  teachers  make  poor  classes. 

I.  Ways  of  securing  new  teachers.  How  can  we 
secure  new  teachers  suited  to  the  work  ?  We  believe  that 
a  satisfactory  answer  can  be  given.  It  is  not  always  pos- 
sible, however,  to  secure  a  good  Sunday-school  teacher 
for  the  zvishing.  Outside  of  those  actively  engaged  in  the 
Sunday-school,  few  people  understand  its  needs,  problems 
and  work.  Yet  it  is  from  these  very  people,  for  the  most 
part,  that  we  must  recruit  our  teaching  force.  It  is  also 
clear  that  before  we  can  have  an  inspired  people  we  must 
have  an  informed  people.  How,  then,  can  we  secure 
new  teachers? 

(i)  Make  a  list  (in  excess  of  present  need)  of  names 
of  such  persons  in  the  congregation  as  would  seem  best 
suited  to  the  work. 

(2)  Personally  speak  with  them  of  the  possibilities  and 
importance  of  Sunday-school   work,   without   disclosing 

294 


SECURING    NEW    AND    SUBSTITUTE    TEACHERS 

at  once  your  purpose,  and  follow  this  with  placing  leaf- 
lets and  chapters  or  paragraphs  of  books  in  their  hands 
for  reading.     Do  not  request  too  much  at  one  time. 

(3)  Further  inform  and  inspire  these  ''chosen  persons" 
through  lectures  and  Sunday-school  Extension  Work,  as 
outlined  in  Chapter  XXV. 

(4)  Meantime  invite  them,  one  or  two  a  Sabbath,  to 
come  in  and  see  the  school,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  as 
a  personal  favor. 

(5)  Similarly  secure  their  attendance  upon  a  teachers' 
meeting. 

(6)  Ask  their  advice;  counsel  with  them  about  "our 
school." 

All  this  can  be  accomplished  in  a  few  weeks.  True, 
these  persons  will  not  then  be  experienced  teachers,  but 
their  interests  and  sympathies  will  have  been  awakened, 
and  they  will  have  had  preparation  for  intelligent  begin- 
ning. Other  things  will  follow  by  reason  of  the  usual 
work  of  the  school  and  through  the  teachers'  meeting, 
and,  possibly,  the  normal  class.  Some  such  plan  is  essen- 
tial, and,  we  believe,  adequate.  We  do  not  expect  fruit 
for  the  wishing  without  the  planting  of  seed  and  the 
growing  of  the  tree ;  and  we  cannot  expect  prepared  teach- 
ers unless  we  prepare  them,  nor  inspired  teachers  unless 
we  inform  them. 

2.  New  teachers  on  acepting  classes  should  be  im- 
pressed with  the  responsibilities  which  they  are  assuming.^ 
In  the  Rollstone  Congregational  Church,  Fitchburg, 
Mass.,  new  teachers  sign  application  blanks,  as  follows: 

I  hereby  make  application  for  the  position 

of  teacher  in  the  Rollstone  Sunday-school.  I  will  en- 
deavor sincerely  and  earnestly  to  promote  the  study  of 
the  Bible,  and  the  interest  of  my  class,  and  work  for  the 
welfare  of  the  Sunday-school. 

Signed 

*See  Chapter  XX.,  on  Teachers  and  Methods  of  Teaching. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

We  shall  be  helped  by  keeping  in  mind  the  new  princi- 
ple which  now  controls  somewhat  the  growing  need  of 
teachers,  namely,  ''that  large  classes  with  competent  teach- 
ers are  preferable  to  smaller  classes  with  less  competent 
teachers."  This  principle  is  gaining  ground  every 
day. 

II.  Securing  substitute  teachers,  i.  In  looking  for 
substitute  teachers,  the  warning  comes  from  Dr.  James 
Polk  Willard,  of  Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday- 
school,  Denver,  Col.:  "Have  intelligent  teachers.  When 
soliciting  a  supply  teacher,  if  one  says,  T  have  not  studied 
the  lesson,'  pass  on  to  some  one  else.  The  children  of 
these  days  are  too  smart  for  any  teacher  wdio  has  not 
given  the  lesson  careful  and  attentive  thought." 

2.  Ways  of  securing  reliable  substitutes,  (i)  In  the 
Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  a  committee  on  class  work,  which  looks  after  the  wel- 
fare of  the  classes  in  securing  new  teachers  and  substitute 
teachers,  uses  the  card  on  the  following  page. 

(2)  For  supply  teachers,  the  First  Presbyterian  Sun- 
day-school, Decatur,  111.,  uses  the  Sunday-school  commit- 
tee of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  in  organizing  a 
class  of  thirty-six  of  the  older  pupils  or  members  of  the 
congregation  who  would  be  willing  to  teach  once  a  quar- 
ter. This  class  is  divided  into  twelve  classes,  giving  three 
for  each  Sunday  for  supply  teachers,  and  these  are  to  be 
prepared  to  teach  just  that  one  Sunday  in  the  quarter  any 
classes  that  they  may  be  called  upon  to  take  for  the  day. 

(3)  A  somewhat  similar  plan  is  the  Substitute  Teach- 
ers' Corps  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  numbering  from  fifteen  to  twenty,  di- 
vided into  four  divisions,  one  division  being  notified  each 
Monday  by  card  and  the  mailing  of  lesson  helps  to  be  on 
hand  prepared  to  teach  any  vacant  class  the  following 
Sunday.     Veteran  teachers  who  cannot  longer  teach  reg- 

296 


SECURING    NEW    AND    SUBSTITUTE    TEACHERS 


WALNUT  STREET  PRESBYTERIAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

/  would  like  to  have  my  najne  enrolled  as  a  sub- 
stitute  teacher  of  the    Walnut   Street  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  and  expect  to  be  present  prepared  for 
teaching,     unless    providentially    detained,    on    the 
Sundays  indicated  herewith. 

Name— - 

Date 

Address 

[Reverse  side.] 

ISt 

Sunday. 

2d 

Sunday. 

3d 
Sunday. 

4th 

Sunday. 

5th 
Sunday. 

January. 

February. 

March. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

1 

August. 

September. 

October. 

November. 

I                    1 

December. 

1                    1 

ularly,   and   younger   people   in   training   for   permanent 
teachers,  comprise  this  corps. 

(4)  Another  plan  is  the  selection  of  a  list  of  names, 
placing  opposite  each  name  the  department  in  which  one 
is  willing  to  serve  as  substitute  when  required.  This  list 
is  given  to  each  teacher  or  placed  where  it  is  accessible 
to  each,  that  no  one  may  have  excuse  for  failing  to  pro- 
vide a  substitute  if  obliged  to  be  absent. 

(5)  A  yet  similar  plan  that  has  worked  well  is  that  by 
which  each  teacher  arranges  at  the  beginning  of  the  year 
with  a  substitute  who  consents  to  care  for  the  class  in  the 
absence  of  the  regular  teacher.  The  names  of  such  sub- 
stitutes are  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  superintendent. 

297 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

(6)  In  the  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  in  the  Young  Ladies'  Class,  different  mem- 
bers have  pledged  themselves  as  willing  to  teach  on 
a  certain  Sunday  in  each  month,  as  the  first  or  third,  and 
come  prepared  accordingly.  The  First  Presbyterian  Sun- 
day-school of  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  arranges  to  have  from 
three  to  five  competent  teachers  who  are  prepared,  and 
expect  to  take  the  places  of  any  who  are  absent.  Again, 
the  need  is  met  through  the  Bible  class,  or  a  volunteer 
teachers'  class,  in  which  the  lesson  is  taught  one  week  in 
advance,  that  the  members  may  be  prepared  to  substitute 
if  necessary. 


298 


CHAPTER   XXIII 


NORMAL     CLASSES 


I.  "How  is  the  teacher  to  be  instructed  and  prepared  for 
his  work?"  is  a  question  that  has  been  raised  recently  by 
the  denominational  Sunday-school  Boards.  The  very 
question  is  recognition  of  the  necessity  of  trained  teachers 
in  the  Sunday-schools  of  to-day.  And  the  normal  de- 
partment or  normal  class  is  a  partial  answer,  at  least,  of 
that  question. 

The  normal  class  is  suited  even  to  the  smallest  school, 
and  individual  work  upon  the  course  may  be  begun,  or  a 
class  may  be  organized,  at  any  time. 

The  purpose  of  the  normal  department  is  to  enable 
teachers,  through  broader  courses  of  Bible  study,  and 
study  of  the  improved  methods  of  teaching  and  of  Sun- 
day-school work  in  the  light  of  the  new  educational  ideals, 
to  render  better  service;  to  aid  those  persons  who 
are  willing  to  prepare  themselves  to  be  teachers ;  and  also 
to  meet  the  needs  of  any  persons  who  desire  to  take  a 
broader  course  of  Bible  study  than  that  outlined  by  the 
International,  or  usual,  lessons  of  the  school. 

The  best  time  for  the  meeting  of  the  normal  class  must 
be  determined  by  the  local  school.  If  held  on  a  week- 
day evening,  members  are  left  free  for  teaching  and  for 
other  Christian  work  on  the  Sabbath.  If  held  at  the  usual 
Sunday-school  hour,  its  importance  as  a  training  class  for 
teachers  should  be  recognized,  and  the  members  should  be 
exempt  as  largely  as  possible  from  calls  to  substitute  for 
absent  teachers. 

In  the  Simpson  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school, 
299 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Brooklyn,  the  normal  class  of  about  twenty-five  members 
is  considered  the  most  important  class  of  the  senior  de- 
partment. Other  schools  that  have  tried  the  normal  plan 
for  any  reasonable  time  also  speak  of  its  high  value.  Rev. 
A.  H.  McKinney,  Ph.D.,  chairman  of  the  normal  com- 
mittee of  the  New  York  State  Sunday-school  Association, 
reports  that  normal  work  has  been  in  operation  for  about 
ten  years  in  the  Empire  State,  and  that  "a.  large  number 
of  normal  classes  have  been  started  in  various  parts  of 
the  State,  the  pupils  taking  more  or  less  extended  courses, 
a  large  number  of  indivduals  having  studied  alone  or  in 
groups  of  two  or  three.  Every  year  over  one  hundred 
members  complete  one  or  more  of  the  courses,  pass  their 
examinations  and  receive  certificates.  The  work  is  grow- 
ing quietly,  but  steadily,  in  its  hold  on  the  Sunday-school 
teachers." 

2.  Organizing  a  Normal  Department,  (i)  Do  not 
wait  for  a  large  class.     A  class  of  one  is  better  than  none. 

(2)  Compare  carefully  the  several  possible  courses  of 
study.  Decide  definitely  on  a  general  outline  of  the  work 
to  be  covered,  both  in  the  study  of  the  Bible  and  in  the 
study  of  methods  of  teaching  and  of  Sunday-school  work. 

(3)  Encourage  members  to  aid  the  Sunday-school  in 
every  possible  way  now,  before  the  normal  study  is  fin- 
ished. 

3.  Class  work,  (i)  Have  brief  devotional  exer- 
cises, perhaps  only  a  song  and  prayer  or  the  Lord's 
Prayer.  Remember  that  the  hour's  study  is  devotional 
when  devoted  to  the  sacred  work  in  hand. 

(2)  Do  not  preach.  Do  not  lecture.  Ask  questions 
with  view  to  finding  out  what  the  members  know,  not 
what  they  do  not  know.  Encourage  them  to  express  their 
thoughts. 

(3)  Do  not  allow  members  to  needlessly  digress  from 
the  subject  of  study. 

300 


NORMAL  CLASSES 

(4)  Use  the  blackboard,  also  maps  and  charts  that  may 
aid  in  making  the  lesson  plain. 

(5)  Drill  the  class  on  the  outline  and  fundamentals  of 
the  lesson. 

(6)  Vary  the  plan  of  conducting  the  class.  Ten  min- 
utes at  the  opening  of  the  class  may  be  given  frequently 
to  papers  by  members  on  various  subjects,  such  as  "The 
Art  of  Questioning,"  "Ways  of  Holding  Attention,"  "New 
Methods  of  Teaching,"  etc.,  also  reviews  on  similar  sub- 
jects of  chapters  in  books.  Again,  as  study  progresses 
members  of  the  class  may  occasionally  be  appointed  as 
leaders. 

4.  Courses  of  study.  The  normal  class  courses  cover 
study  in  methods  of  teaching  and  Sunday-school  work, 
and  comprehensive  Bible  study. 

( I )  Courses  in  method.  If  one  is  to  be  a  good  teacher, 
something  more  than  a  "good  intention"  is  necessary. 
There  must  be  thorough  knowledge  of  the  lesson  that  one 
desires  to  teach,  and  also  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
persons  to  be  taught.     Quackenbosh  says : 

The  maxim,  "Know  thyself,"  does  not  suffice; 
Know  others,  know  them  well ;  that's  my  advice. 

But  this  implies  much.  Our  purpose,  however,  does  not 
require  a  scientific  explanation  of  the  principles  under- 
lying it.  Successful  work  in  normal  classes  has  been  de- 
feated often  through  lumbering  the  minds  of  the  members 
with  a  lot  of  needless  psychological  and  pedagogical  de- 
tails. In  the  study  of  method  we  believe  that  better 
results  will  be  realized  through  selected  readings  and 
reviews  of  popular  books  on  Sunday-school  work,  and 
other  books  such  as  are  mentioned  in  the  chapters  of 
this  volume  on  Teachers  and  Methods  of  Teaching,  Libra- 
ries, and  The  Development  of  the  Local  Church  and 
School   Through   Sunday-school   Extension   Work,   etc., 

301 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

than  by  a  study  of  the  distinctly  scientific  treatises.  Dr. 
A.  H.  McKinney's  Bible  School  Pedagogy  ^  is  an  excel- 
lent compendium  for  normal  classes.  The  book  is  used 
by  the  New  York  State  Sunday-school  Association  as  an 
additional  course  in  normal  class  work. 

(2)  Courses  in  Bible  study,  etc.  For  this  work,  there 
should  be  an  approved  handbook  or  outline  quarterly  pre- 
pared by  an  expert. 

(a)  The  Chautauqua  Normal  Union  Outlines  was  one 
of  the  first  of  such  helps  to  appear,  having  been  prepared 
by  a  committee  of  distinguished  Christian  workers  repre- 
senting ten  different  denominations,  and  now  preserved 
in  book  form  under  the  title  The  Church  School  and  Nor- 
mal Guide.^  But  this  course  is  cumbered  with  detail 
and  has  given  way  to  a  better.  The  regular  course  of  the 
Chautauqua  Normal  Union  as  now  arranged  is  simpler, 
and  includes  studies  in  the  Bible  and  in  Sunday-school 
work,  to  be  carried  through  four  years,  each  year's  work, 
however,  separate,  and  recognized  by  a  separate  certificate 
awarded  to  all  who  complete  it  and  pass  the  requisite  ex- 
amination. As  at  present  arranged  the  course  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

Course  of  1904. 

To  be  studied — Revised  Normal  Lessons.  J.  L.  Hurl- 
but.     Paper,  25  cents ;  cloth,  40  cents. 

To  be  read — The  Modern  Sunday-school.  J.  H.  Vin- 
cent.    Cloth,  90  cents. 

Course  of  1905. 

To  be  studied— Studies  in  the  Book  of  Acts.  B.  B. 
Loomis.     Paper,  25  cents;  cloth,  40  cents. 

To  be  read— The  Life  of  St.  Paul.  James  Stalker. 
Cloth,  60  cents. 

*  Eaton  &  Mains,  publishers,  New  York  and  Cincinnati. 
'Ibid. 

302 


NORMAL  CLASSES 

Course  of  1906. 

To  be  studied — Studies  in  the  Four  Gospels.  J.  L. 
Hurlbut,     Paper,  25  cents ;  cloth,  40  cents. 

To  be  read— The  Book  Divine.  J.  E.  Price.  Cloth,  75 
cents. 

Course  of  1907. 

To  be  studied — Studies  in  Old  Testament  History. 
J.  L.  Hurlbut.     Paper,  25  cents ;  cloth,  40  cents. 

To  be  read — Teaching  and  Teachers.  H.  C.  Trumbull. 
Cloth,  $1. 

Although  the  above  order  is  assigned  for  convenience, 
it  is  not  obligatory.  The  course  can  be  taken  up  in  any 
order  which  the  student  may  choose.  For  example,  a 
teacher  who  during  the  summer  of  1905  studies  the  course 
of  that  year  at  one  of  the  assemblies,  may  prefer  to  or- 
ganize and  conduct  during  1906  a  class  for  the  study  of 
the  text-books  for  1905,  being  more  familiar  with  them. 
It  is  admissible  to  take  up  the  text-books  in  any  order 
most  convenient  to  the  student.^ 

In  normal  class  work,  certificates  or  diplomas  are  tisu- 
ally  awarded  to  all  who  pass  a  satisfactory  examination 
in  the  first  year's  work,  seals  being  added  for  each  subse- 
quent year's  study. ^ 

(b)  Another  course  of  study  has  been  arranged  in  the 
form  of  two  small  handbooks :  The  Sunday-school  Teach- 
ers' Normal  Course^  (First  Year,  Second  Year),  by 
George  William  Pease.  Mr.  Pease  is  an  experienced  nor- 
mal class  teacher,  and  his  books  are  comprehensive  in  their 
outline  of  study,  clear  in  form,  and  suited  to  the  ''average 
man."  The  books  represent  one  of  the  best  works  pub- 
lished on  normal  courses  of  study. 

^  Address,  Secretary  Chautauqua  Normal  Course  Union,  150 
Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

'^  For  diplomas,  address  Secretary  Normal  Course  Union,  150 
Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

'  Fleming  H.  Revell  Company,  publishers,  Chicago,  New  York, 
Toronto. 

303 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

(c)  The  courses  of  the  American  Institute  of  Sacred 
Literature  ^  are  specially  suited  to  those  who  care  for 
study  along  definite  lines.  As  with  the  other  courses  of 
study  mentioned,  there  is  no  time  limit,  and  any  course 
may  be  taken  up  at  any  time.  A  special  point  of  help- 
fulness in  these  courses  for  those  who  have  to  count  their 
minutes  for  study,  is  the  direction  sheet,  outlining  the 
work  for  the  month  and  for  each  day,  with  helpful  sug- 
gestions regarding  the  study.  No  reference  books  are 
required,  but  should  the  student  desire  collateral  reading, 
suitable  books  are  recommended.  Indeed,  a  special  value 
in  this  course  is  that  a  student  is  specially  required  to  use 
and  study  his  Bible.  In  the  light  of  the  Bible  he  studies 
the  Bible,  till  it  soon  becomes  a  familiar  book.  There  is 
sometimes  a  tendency  in  normal  class  work  to  study  about 
the  Bible  rather  than  to  study  the  Bible,  and  this  is  all  but 
a  fatal  mistake.  The  subjects  for  the  main  course  of 
the  Institute  are  as  follows: 

The  Life  of  Christ — a  study  of  all  the  material  of  the 
Four  Gospels. 

The  Foreshadowings  of  the  Christ — a  study  of  Old 
Testament  history  and  prophecy,  with  special  reference 
to  the  development  of  the  Messianic  idea. 

The  Founding  of  the  Christian  Church — a  study  of 
the  Acts  and  the  Epistles  on  the  basis  of  their  historical 
relationship. 

The  Work  of  the  Old  Testament  Sages — a  simple 
study  of  the  ethics  and  philosophy  of  the  sages  as  pre- 
sented in  the  work  of  the  prophets  and  in  the  books  of 
Proverbs,  Job,  Song  of  Solomon  and  Ecclesiastes. 

One  additional  course  is  announced  each  year.  With  the 
direction  sheet,  sent  each  month,  the  student  is  provided 
with  a  question  sheet  in  duplicate  containing  twenty  ques- 
tions upon  the  work  of  the  month.  These  question  sheets 
are  to  be  filled  out  from  memory,  if  possible,  but  the  Bible 
'Address,  Hyde  Park,  Chicago,  111. 
304 


NORMAL  CLASSES 

may  be  consulted  if  necessary.  One  copy  may  be  returned 
to  the  office  of  the  Institute.  For  the  nine  question  papers 
covering  the  year's  work  a  certificate  is  awarded.  For 
answering  the  five  honor  questions  on  each  paper,  a  spe- 
cial honor  sign  is  placed  on  the  certificate.  The  work  re- 
quires but  little  time  each  day,  and  by  the  aid  of  the  ques- 
tion papers  can  be  done  at  home. 

In  addition  to  this  regular  work,  the  Institute  has  pro- 
fessional reading  courses  for  ministers  and  Bible  teachers, 
and  correspondence  courses. 

(d)  There  is  another  series  of  normal  lessons  of  real 
merit :  the  Legion  of  Honor  Normal  Bible  and  Training 
Lessons  ^  by  Prof.  H.  M.  Hamill.  The  course  consists 
of  two  books,  each  of  which  contains  twelve  Normal  Bible 
Lessons  and  twelve  Normal  Training  Lessons.  The  Bi- 
ble lessons  in  the  first  book  are  on  the  New  Testament; 
in  the  second  book,  on  the  Old  Testament.  The  study 
outlined  is  intended  as  an  elementary  course,  especially 
adapted  to  yoimg  people  and  others  who  cannot  spare  the 
time  to  master  more  advanced  lessons. 

(e)  Other  outline  normal  courses  have  recently  been 
inaugurated  by  some  of  the  denominational  boards  of  pub- 
lication and  Sabbath-school  work.  This  is  strong 
testimony  of  the  recognized  value  and  urgent  necessity  of 
normal  work ;  recognition  that  a  sufficient  number  of  well- 
prepared  teachers  is  fundamental  to  a  successful  school. 

5.  When  a  handbook  on  normal  work  is  used,  it  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  discriminate  and  select  lessons  out 
of  the  courses  of  study  provided.  We  should  avoid  con- 
fusing the  mind  with  too  many  details. 

^  W.  B.  Jacobs,  publisher,  132  La  Salle  Street,  Chicago,  111. 
Manila  binding,  15  cents  each,  or  $1.50  per  dozen. 


305 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

THE     SUPERINTENDENT 

I.  General  requirements,  and  the  new  ideal  for  su- 
perintendents. In  an  important  sense  every  chapter  of  a 
book  on  Sunday-school  methods  is  the  superintendent's 
chapter,  for  his  responsibility  for  the  work  requires  a  thor- 
ough acquaintance  with  its  every  part.  I  purpose,  there- 
fore, to  speak  in  this  chapter  only  of  certain  essential  fea- 
tures in  the  work  of  a  superintendent,  not  otherwise 
spoken  of  in  this  book,  or  commonly  exploited  in  the 
religious  press,  grouping  them  here  because  distinctly  of 
the  office  of  the  superintendent  though  they  do  not  define 
that  office,  which  office  can  be  defined  only  in  the  Hght  of 
the  great  work  of  the  Sunday-school  as  a  whole.  In 
speaking  of  these  essential  features,  I  assume  that  the  gen- 
eral requirements  of  a  superintendent,  both  in  what  he 
should  not  be  and  in  what  he  should  be,  are  well  under- 
stood ;  that  the  superintendent's  office  is  not  the  place  for 
Mr.  Cynic  or  Mr.  Scold,  or  for  the  man  who  goes 
about  like  a  "paid  mourner,"  or  moves  like  a  tempest, 
spreading  gloom  and  confusion  throughout  the  school ; 
and  that  we  are  agreed  also  that  the  superintend- 
ent should  be  a  man,  consecrated,  of  course,  bright  and 
cheery,  calm  and  dignified,  sympathetic  and  kind,  alert 
and  firm,  full  of  business,  and  at  times  given  to  praise. 
We  further  assume  that  the  superintendent  is  open-minded 
and  large-hearted,  realizing  the  limitations  of  one 
pair  of  hands,  seeking  the  hearty  co-operation  of  respon- 
sible associates,  magnifying  their  work,  quietly  seeing  to 

306 


THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

it  that  things  are  brought  to  pass — that  appointed  work 
is  done,  inspiring  all  by  his  buoyant  faith  and  untiring 
devotion  for  the  improvement  of  the  school,  and  holding 
fast  to  the  old  and  tried  and  welcoming  every  fresh  aid 
in  the  administration  of  the  school,  knowing  that  adapta- 
tion to  changed  conditions  and  present  needs  is  a  cardinal 
principle  of  our  Christian  religion.  All  this  being  true, 
it  remains  to  be  said  that  the  new  ideal  for  a  superintend- 
ent is  in  some  respects  diametrically  opposite  to  what  it 
once  was. 

The  ideal  superintendent  is  not  a  man  necessarily  of 
unusual  talent  in  half-a-dozen  different  directions,  but  a 
man  who  realizes  to  the  bottom  the  importance  of  Sun- 
day-school work,  and  who  is  willing  to  give  himself  to  it. 
The  time  was  when  a  man  was  chosen  for  the  office  of  su- 
perintendent because  he  could  ''talk  well";  now,  some 
schools  make  effort  to  select  a  man  for  superintendent  who 
cannot  "talk  well."  A  superintendent  who  cannot  talk, 
but  can  live  and  do  things,  is  worth  infinitely  more  than 
the  one  who  can  talk  but  is  weak  and  purposeless  in  Chris- 
tian life  and  work. 

II.  Special  suggestions,  i.  Avoidance  of  unneces- 
sary talking.  Too  much  emphasis  has  been  placed  on  the 
''talking,"  and  the  call  now  is  for  less  of  it,  and  that  the 
quality  of  it  be  strong,  heartfelt,  full  of  the  life  of  the 
man  back  of  it,  though  it  be  with  stammering  tongue. 
Mr.  Henry  Aird,  superintendent  of  the  Silliman  Memorial 
Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  says:  "I  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  duty  of  the  superintendent  to  refrain 
from  talking  unless  he  is  sure  he  has  something  to  say 
that  is  worth  saying.  In  my  opinion,  it  is  not  wise  to 
review  the  lesson  from  the  desk  every  Sunday;  let  the 
teachers  do  the  teaching.  The  superintendent  may,  and 
I  think  should,  in  a  few  terse,  concise  and  well-chosen 
words,  enforce  and  emphasize  the  salient  point  of  the  les- 

307 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

son — driving  the  truth  home  to  the  hearts  and  consciences 
of  the  scholars — but  in  no  case  should  he  exceed  five  min- 
utes in  this  exercise.  Superintendents,  as  a  rule,  talk  too 
much."  Similar  is  the  view  of  other  experienced  and 
successful  workers.  At  the  same  time  we  should  remem- 
ber that  the  superintendent's  **five  minutes"  is  urgent  if 
the  teaching  force  is  not  strong,  and  is  an  opportunity  at 
all  times  for  deepening  impressions  and  clinching  truths 
if  one  speak  at  all. 

If  the  method  of  review  be  by  questioning  the  school, 
then  let  the  questions  be  clear  and  concise,  capable  of 
brief  or  word  answers,  and  with  the  purpose  of  find- 
ing out  what  the  pupils  know  and  not  what  they  do  not 
know. 

Should  the  visitor  talk?  Mr.  W.  J.  Fulton,  of  the  First 
Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  Keokuk,  la.,  expresses 
what  is  a  growing  sentiment  in  saying  that  imless  there 
is  special  reason  visitors  with  them  are  not  invited  to  ad- 
dress the  school.  A  dozen  years'  experience  has  taught 
this  superintendent  that  the  average  result  of  talking  by 
the  honored  guest  to  the  Sunday-school  is  disappointing; 
that  is  to  say,  the  benefits  do  not  compensate  for  the  mis- 
takes made. 

The  responsibility  of  the  superintendent  is  enforced  by 
Mr.  James  Polk  Willard,  of  the  Trinity  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Sunday-school,  Denver,  Col.,  in  saying  that  the 
superintendent  is  to  remember  at  all  times  that  we  are 
dealing  with  the  wide-awake  and  up-to-date  youth,  and 
that  they  are  entitled  to  the  best  that  the  Sunday-school 
platform  can  give  them. 

2.  The  duty  of  keeping  order  is  one  of  the  first  and 
most  serious  tasks  enjoined  upon  a  superintendent.  This 
work  must  not  be  delegated  to  the  teacher;  the  teacher 
is  not  a  policeman,  but  a  teacher,  and  every  organized 
force  of  the  school  is  for  the  teacher's  aid !     Teaching  is 

308 


THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

the  end  for  which  all  other  things  are  the  means.  But 
there  must  be  attention  before  there  can  be  instruction. 
Mr.  Henry  Aird  says:  "That  it  is  not  easy  to  preserve 
order  every  superintendent  will  admit,  and  some  find  it 
impossible;  the  latter  class  had  better  resign.  A  uni- 
formly disorderly  school  proves  the  incompetence  of  the 
superintendent.  'Order  is  Heaven's  first  law,'  and  it 
ought  to  be  the  first  law  of  every  Sunday-school.  Good 
work  cannot  be  done  in  a  disorderly  school.  No  exer- 
cise should  be  begun  till  order  is  obtained.  This  is  a  rule 
that  should  be  inflexibly  enforced." 

In  the  Olivet  Memorial  Sunday-school,  New  York,  the 
following  methods  have  been  successful  in  maintaining 
order  equal  to  that  of  the  best  day  schools.  Four  doors 
only  of  those  that  admit  to  the  main  floor  and  the  gallery 
are  used;  ushers  guard  these  during  the  whole  session  of 
the  school.  The  ushers  watch  for  the  lifting  of  the  su- 
perintendent's hand,  which  is  the  signal  for  the  doors  to 
be  opened ;  this  signal  is  not  given  during  exercises  of  any 
kind.  When  the  doors  are  open,  late  scholars  and  teach- 
ers pass  quickly  to  their  places;  meanwhile  the  superin- 
tendent and  school  wait  in  perfect  silence.  The  Rev. 
William  Denman,  D.D.,  of  this  school,  says :  "As  talking 
is  apt  to  be  overdone,  the  superintendent's  eyes  and  hands 
very  largely  take  the  place  of  his  tongue,  and  in  like  man- 
ner the  piano  has  supplanted  the  bell.  A  few  chords 
sharply  struck  is  the  first  call  to  order,  whilst  the  second 
call,  after  a  brief  interval,  is  the  playing  of  a  short  strain. 
In  no  instance  are  the  signals  repeated;  we  act  on  the 
principle  that  once  asking  is  enough,  and  invariably  find 
it  so  or  make  it  so.  Scholars  are  not  allowed  to  leave 
the  class  without  permission  of  the  teacher,  nor  to  leave 
the  school  without  a  pass  from  the  secretary.  We  have 
found  that  scholars  soon  come  to  have  a  wholesome  re- 
gard for  a  superintendent  who  knows  how  to  wait  in  per- 

309 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

feet  calm  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  them,  and  for  all 
officers  who  enforce  the  rules  of  the  school  without  fear 
or  favor." 

3.  Personal  acquaintance  with  teachers  and  pupils. 
Next  to  the  work  and  discipline  of  the  Sunday-school  hour 
comes  the  need  of  personally  knowing  the  pupils 
and  of  encouraging  sympathy  and  helpfulness  among  the 
workers.  The  teachers'  meeting  is  opportunity  for  a  su- 
perintendent coming  into  close  touch  with  the  individual 
teacher  and  his  work,  and  opportunity  also  of  mutual 
acquaintance  and  sympathy  in  the  discussion  of  common 
interests. 

Some  superintendents  give  yearly  receptions  at  their 
homes  for  the  pleasure  of  a  better  acquaintance  with  the 
workers,  and  in  order  to  deepen  the  feeling  of  friendly 
interest  among  the  teachers. 

To  reach  the  scholars,  know  them  and  have  them  know 
him,  the  superintendent  of  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist 
Sunday-school,  Boston,  Mass.,  invites  to  his  home  for  an 
evening  of  pleasure  the  new  pupils  brought  in  during  the 
month,  together  with  the  scholars  who  brought  them  to 
the  school,  the  idea  being  that  those  who  first  introduce 
them  to  the  Sunday  exercises  should  introduce  them  to 
the  superintendent  and  to  each  other  on  the  social  even- 
ing. In  practising  this  plan,  the  superintendent  has  dis- 
covered that  when  a  new  family  moves  on  to  a  street 
where  a  pupil  of  this  school  lives  they  do  not  have  time 
to  get  settled  before  they  are  told  that  they  must  come 
to  the  Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school. 

The  superintendent  can  also  do  much  by  cordial  greet- 
ings to  scholars  as  he  meets  them  in  the  school  or  on 
the  street;  by  printed  letters  of  inquiry  showing  that  he 
misses  one  if  absent;  and  by  the  birthday  card  carrying 
his  greetings  and  good  wishes  for  a  new  year,  such  as  the 
following : 

310 


THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

JAMES      LEES      MEMORIAL      PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH. 

Frankfort  Avenue  and  William  Street. 

My  Dear  Friend: 

Feeling  a  deep  interest  in  your  welfare  and  happiness, 
it  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  send  a  message  from  the 
school  of  cordial  greeting,  and  good  wishes  on  this  anni- 
versary of  your  birthday. 

May  the  new  year  of  your  life  upon  which  you  enter 
to-day  be  bright  and  joyful  and  may  all  your  coming 
years  be  peaceful  and  happy,  each  succeeding  one  increas- 
ing in  hope  and  joy  and  peace  until  that  perfect  day. 

That  all  of  the  associations  and  influences  of  our 
school  may  be  helpful  to  you  and  that  the  memories  of 
these  days  may  be  precious  to  you  throughout  all  your 
future  life,  is  our  earnest  prayer. 

May  you  here  learn  the  great  lessons  of  life,  and  may 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  become  to  you  as  "the  Chiefest 
among  ten  thousand." 

"The  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep  thee ;  the  Lord  make 
His  face  shine  upon  thee  and  be  gracious  unto  thee ;  the 
Lord  lift  up  His  countenance  upon  thee,  and  give  thee 
peace." 

On  behalf  of  the  Church  and  school,  I  am. 
Lovingly  yours. 

Superintendent. 

igo — 


This  birthday  letter  was  printed  on  a  four-page  card 
folder,  one  page  of  the  outside  having  a  picture  of  the 
church,  and  the  other  bearing  a  birthday  greeting  with 
appropriate  decoration  of  flower  design. 

4.  The  successful  superintendent  to-day  must  have 
some  help  for  his  memory,  a  memorandum  book  for  sug- 
gestions, appointments  and  records.  Mr.  Victor  H.  Palt- 
sits,  the  superintendent  of  the  Christ  Congregational  Sun- 
day-school, New  York,  says :  *T  am  a  great  stickler  for 

311 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

statistics,  believing  that  only  in  that  way  can  a  superin- 
tendent ascertain  a  leakage,  if  any,  and  repair  the  breaches 
of  incomplete  organization.  My  annual  reports  to 
the  church  and  congregation  have  covered  each  year  about 
two  thousand  words,  and  give  in  detail  all  the  workings 
of  every  part  of  the  school's  interests,  administrative  and 
spiritual.  A  careful  record  is  kept  even  of  the  weather, 
as  bearing  upon  fluctuation  in  attendance."  To  this  end 
this  superintendent  keeps  a  private  note-book  in  which  he 
enters  weekly  the  date,  title  of  the  lesson,  order  of  service 
used  for  the  day,  number  of  each  hymn  sung  and  what 
verses,  record  of  the  weather  (fine  day,  cold  day,  warm 
day,  very  cold,  very  hot,  rainy,  snow),  attendance  (school, 
officers,  teachers,  visitors),  collection  for  the  day,  num- 
ber of  new  scholars  received  or  lost  on  that  day,  record 
of  the  teachers'  meetings,  special  exercises,  picnic  rec- 
ord, etc.  This  is  used  as  material  for  the  annual  report 
to  the  church.  As  a  further  aid,  Mr.  Paltsits  uses  an 
alphabetical  register  arranged  as  follows : 


6 

^•2 

'o^ 

^J 

^ 

Name. 

Address. 

-'E 

i's 

zi 

a 

< 

o 

Q^ 

a^ 

^ 

4 

French,  Jessie 

546  Ash  St. 

In  older 
Register. 

Trans. 
Oct.  5,  1901 

In. 

Kendall,  Gladys 

357 E. 176th 

March  10, 

Sept.  IS, 

Removal. 

Trans. 

St. 

IQOI. 

1 901. 

Jan.  5,  1902. 

It  would  be  helpful  to  add  a  column  to  the  above  show- 
ing the  church  status  of  pupils,  whether  or  not  they  are 
members  of  the  church.     The  following  is  a  simple  record 

312 


THE   SUPERINTENDENT 


blank  used  by  the  superintendent  of  the  Nostrand  Avenue 
Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. : 


Last  Year. 

This  Year. 

Kindergarten. 
Primary. 

j    Junior  and    \ 

\  hitermediate.  \ 

Senior. 

Officers. 

Total 

Vzstors       -                                        

5.  A  work  to  be  mentioned  as  peculiar  to  the  office 
of  superintendent,  if  indeed  it  does  not  comprehend  the 
larger  duty  of  that  office,  is  the  work  of  getting  others 
to  work  and  of  seeing  to  it,  unyieldingly  but  kindly,  that 
they  do  it.  One  man  cannot  do  all  the  work.  It  there- 
fore should  be  carefully  apportioned  among  the  officers 
and  committees  as  variously  needed.  The  superintendent 
who  carefully  plans  and  delegates  to  others  what  work 
he  can  finds  time  and  strength  for  surpassing  tasks.  Be- 
cause some  of  our  great  financiers  have  system  in  their 
business  they  can  operate  affairs  involving  hundreds  of 
millions  of  dollars  as  easily  as  other  men  direct  very  small 
concerns.  Pearls  are  not  to  be  thrown  before  swine.  God 
gives  not  His  energies  for  waste;  and  economy  in  the 
expenditure  of  force  through  careful  plan  is  exacted  of 
the  faithful  steward,  who  alone  dare  ask  for  Heaven's 
inspiration  and  outpoured  blessing. 

313 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  has  a  superintendent  and  an  associate  superintend- 
ent. Mr.  Seth  Sears  of  that  school  says,  that,  after  hav- 
ing charge  of  the  school  for  a  number  of  years,  he  found 
the  care  so  taxing  that  he  coined  the  name  and  established 
the  office  of  "associate  superintendent."  The  two  now 
share  the  work,  the  responsibility  and  the  honor  in  a  way 
that  a  superintendent  could  not.  It  is  a  close  partnership 
of  two  active  partners. 

In  the  Rayne  Memorial  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday- 
school,  South,  New  Orleans,  La.,  while  one  superintend- 
ent officiates  at  the  desk,  the  other  circulates  through  the 
school  to  greet  and  welcome  scholars  and  strangers. 

To  assist  the  superintendent  of  the  Classon  Avenue  Sun- 
day-school, Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  on  special  occasions,  ten  or 
twelve  young  men  who  can  render  good  service  as  needed 
are  selected  and  appointed  as  "superintendent's  aides," 
and  wear  a  beautiful  olive-colored  satin  badge  lettered 
as  follows : 


Classon  Avenue 

Presbyterian 

Sunday-Scliooi. 


Superintendent's 
AID. 


This  is  a  plan  that  not  only  helps  the  superintendent,  but 

314 


THE   SUPERINTENDENT 

also  deepens  the  interest,  and  develops  a  spirit  of  service, 
in  the  young  men. 

A  superintendent  having  selected  his  helpers,  should 
not  fail  in  holding  monthly  or  stated  meetings  of  the  ex- 
ecutive committee,  or,  as  some  call  it,  the  superintendent's 
cabinet.  Much  planning  and  ''threshing  of  straw"  that 
would  be  a  bore  to  the  teachers  can  be  accomplished  in 
these  meetings.  It  is  well  always  that  plans  which  con- 
cern the  school  as  a  whole,  teachers  and  classes,  or  that 
in  anywise  touch  them,  be  passed  upon  by  the  teachers 
also.  This  is  due  them,  and  only  so  can  we  expect  their 
larger  interest  and  co-operation  in  the  work  planned. 

It  follows,  inevitably,  that  the  successful  superintend- 
ent is  in  closest  sympathy  and  counsel  with  his  minister. 
Mr.  H.  E.  Bostwick,  superintendent  of  Trinity  Presby- 
terian Sunday-school,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  says:  "My 
first,  second  and  last  aim  is  to  keep  the  school  in  close 
touch  with  the  church,  session,  and,  of  course,  the  pas- 
tor." 

6.  Another  characteristic  of  the  ideal  superintendent  to- 
day is  that  he  is  alert  for  improved  methods,  for  new  sug- 
gestions of  ways  and  means  of  doing  things;  his  note- 
book is  full  of  fresh  suggestions,  arranged  in  an  orderly 
and  accessible  manner,  gathered  out  of  experiences  in  his 
work  and  reflections  on  them,  and  through  study  of  other 
schools.  This  does  not  add  to  the  burden  of  a  superin- 
tendent's work ;  it  lightens  it,  gives  success  and  exhilara- 
tion in  it.  When  problems  arise,  he  is  the  man  who 
knows  how  to  meet  them,  and  in  the  easiest  and  best  way. 
Thus  the  administration  of  Bible-schools  is  being  put  on 
a  business  basis;  and  the  superintendent  who  is  not 
abreast  of  the  onward  march  of  things  will  soon  do  no 
helpful  thing.  Indeed,  he  is  lost  now  so  far  as  help- 
fulness commensurate  with  opportunity  is  concerned. 
With  time  he  will  see  a  large  number  of  pupils  of  his 

315 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

school,  as  well  as  the  children  in  its  vicinity,  gathered  in 
by  other  church  schools  of  the  community,  or  he  will 
see  those  children  lost  to  the  Kingdom,  to  rise  up  some 
day  to  upbraid  him ! 

7.  A  careful  and  conscientious  study  of  publications  on 
Sunday-school  work,  of  which  there  are  only  too  few, 
should  constitute  a  part  of  a  superintendent's  very  re- 
sponsible work.  Current  periodicals,  such  as  The  Sim- 
day-school  Times  ^  and  The  International  Evangel,"^  are 
of  great  value.^  Helpful  suggestions  may  also  be  gath- 
ered from  Schauffler's  Ways  of  Working,^  Wells'  Sun- 
day-school Success  ^  and  Boynton's  The  Model  Sunday- 
school.^ 

^Address,   1031   Walnut  Street,   Philadelphia,   Pa. 

^Address,  Chemical  Building,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

^Also  see  mention  of  periodicals  at  the  close  of  Chapter 
XXVHL,  on  the  Relation  of  the  Pastor  to  the  Sunday-school. 

*  W.  A.  Wilde  Company,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 

°  Fleming  H.  Revell  Company,  publishers,  New  York,  Chicago, 
Toronto. 

®  The  Pilgrim  Press,  publishers,  Boston  and  Chicago. 


316 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LOCAL  CHURCH  AND  SCHOOL 
THROUGH  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  EXTENSION  WORK,  INTER- 
NATIONAL AND  STATE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  ASSOCIATIONS, 
DENOMINATIONAL  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  AND  PUBLISHING 
BOARDS,    AND   THE   RELIGIOUS    EDUCATION    ASSOCIATION 

How  can  we  best  help  our  Bible-school  workers,  and 
develop  the  Sunday-school  idea  in  the  local  church  and 
field?  It  has  been  popular  with  some  writers  to  decry 
all  that  has  been,  to  stick  adjectives  into  Sunday-school 
teachers,  and  to  berate  Sunday-school  methods  as  anti- 
quated and  slow,  and  as  pitifully  inadequate  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  present  day.  These  melancholy  prophets 
further  imply  that  the  majority  of  Sunday-schools  are  in 
all  but  hopeless  condition,  with  little  organization,  with 
no  progressive  systems  of  study,  and  no  definite  plans  for 
drill  and  development  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Church. 
Now  all  this  may  be  true.  Indeed,  it  is  painfully  evident 
to  one  conversant  with  our  church-schools  that  the  vast 
majority  of  them  are  in  such  a  hopeless  condition.  It  may 
also  be  true  that  a  large  number  of  our  teachers  are  far 
from  being  qualified  for  the  great  work  of  teaching,  that 
some  of  our  superintendents,  like  the  conies,  are  a  "feeble 
folk,"  and  that  congregations  are  indifferent  to  the  urgent 
interests  of  Sunday-school  work.  What,  then,  are  we 
to  do?  One  way  for  us  to  do  is  to  whine  about  it  and 
to  harp  about  it,  and  to  go  on  sticking  adjectives  into 
people;  but  a  better  way,  the  manly,  the  helpful, 
remedial    way,    is    to    train    our    teachers,    educate    our 

317 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

churches,  and  help  our  Sunday-school  workers  through 
practical  suggestions  for  organizing,  planning  and 
developing  their  work !  To  this  end  I  would  sug- 
gest what,  for  want  of  a  better  term,  I  would  call  Sun- 
day-school extension  work,  by  which  I  mean  instruct- 
ing, nurturing  and  inspiring  the  local  church  and  school 
workers  in  the  spirit,  methods  and  matter  of  Sunday- 
school  work.  How  can  this  be  done?  Co-operating 
with  the  school,  the  pastor  can  plan  for  meetings  at  not 
too  frequent  intervals,  when  the  congregation  also  may 
be  invited  to  be  present,  and  when  all  may  hear  a  care- 
fully prepared  paper  from,  if  possible,  some  expert  Sun- 
day-school worker,  or  from  some  neighboring  minister, 
or  again,  from  the  pastor  of  the  church,  superintendent 
or  other  workers  of  the  local  school.  Papers  can  be  read 
on  such  helpful  subjects  as  "The  Teacher  and  the  Teach- 
er's Problems,"  **The  Sunday-school  as  a  School,"  ''The 
Educational,  Spiritual  and  Social  Sides  of  Our  Work," 
and  similar  subjects.  Again,  great  profit  may  result 
through  reviews  of  books  such  as  The  Point  of  Contact 
in  Teaching,'^  by  DuBois,  Gregory's  The  Seven  Lazvs  of 
Teaching,^  Hovey's  The  Bible  and  Hozv  to  Teach  It,^ 
Chapman's  The  Spiritual  Life  of  the  Sunday-school,'^  etc. 
For  the  careful  presentation  of  such  papers  and  re- 
views, arrangements  might  be  made  by  the  ministers  and 
leading  Sunday-school  workers  of  a  city  or  community 
whereby  each  would  prepare  and  present  a  paper  on  one 
of  a  correllated  series  of  subjects,  which  should  be  given 
through  rotation,  at  intervals  of  two  or  four  months 
(such  intervals  that  the  burden  of  the  work  may  not  fall 
heavily   on   speakers   or   teachers),   in   each   one   of   the 

^  Dodd,   Mead  &  Co.,  publishers.  New  York  City. 
^  The    Pilgrim    Press,    publishers,    Boston,    Mass. ' 
'  The  Griffith  and  Rowland  Press,  publishers,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
*  United  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor,  publishers,  Boston  and 
Chicago. 

318 


DEVELOPMENT    OF   LOCAL    CHURCH    AND    SCHOOL 

churches.  This  is  following  the  University  extension 
idea  of  taking  the  university  to  the  people.  It  may  be 
urged  that  Sunday-school  conventions  relieve  the  neces- 
sity of  this  plan.  I  wish  it  were  true,  but  practical  ex- 
perience shows  that  those  church  and  Bible-school  workers 
who  most  need  the  convention  do  not  attend  it. 
If  we  are  to  reach  those  persons  who  most  need  help,  and 
quicken  the  Church  at  large,  we  must  reach  both  through 
other  means  than  through  conventions !  We  can  carry 
the  information  and  the  inspiration  to  the  Church,  when 
the  Church  will  not  come  to  our  conventions. 

The  necessity  of  some  direct  plan  that  will  accomplish 
its  purpose  of  reaching  and  helping  our  church-schools  is 
apparent.  It  is  the  part  of  a  fool  to  berate  our  school; 
the  part  of  a  man  to  help  them,  and  to  put  spirit  into 
them  till  a  new  life  like  blood  beats  through  the  veins  of 
school,  church  and  community!  A  suggestive  plan,  and 
one  of  more  than  local  or  denominational  value,  has  been 
outlined  recently  by  Mr.  Edgar  C.  Leonard  in  a  paper 
before  the  Albany  Presbytery.^  The  paper  not  only  gives 
us  a  splendid  suggestion,  but  also  shows  us,  coming  as  it 
does  from  a  superintendent  of  one  of  the  largest  Sunday- 
schools  of  the  capital  city  of  the  Empire  State,  how  our 
most  efficient  workers  welcome  aid  and  are  sending  up 
the  Macedonian  cry.  Among  other  things,  Mr.  Leonard 
says :  ''Our  teachers  greatly  need  help,  both  as  to  method 
and,  I  believe,  as  to  matter.  The  present-day  exactions 
of  the  Church  upon  the  time  and  energy  of  the  minister 
are  greater  than  they  used  to  be,  and  the  minister  has 
scant  time  to  give  to  training  his  Sunday-school  teachers. 
They  need  it,  however — the  new  ones  especially  and  the 
older  ones  particularly.  The  art  of  pedagogy,  the  study 
of  child  nature  and  preparation  of  teaching  material  are 
all  involved  here.  Our  Sunday-schools  must  be  schools 
^April,  1901. 
319 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

to  a  greater  degree  than  ever  before.  Even  if  our  minis- 
ters possessed  time,  our  seminaries  are  not  giving  in- 
struction very  much  in  how  to  teach  and  how  to  train 
others  to  teach.  Our  teachers  of  a  few  years'  experience 
find  they  are  pumped  out.  The  demands  upon  their  time 
prevent  the  growth  they  desire,  and  in  the  lack  of  trained 
leadership  they  easily  get  into  ruts.  Few  superintendents 
are  graduates  of  Bible  training  schools.  The  great  Pres- 
byterian Church  has  much  machinery  and  collects  a  mass 
of  statistics  every  year.  I  would  that  this  Presbytery 
might  put  the  personal  touch  upon  its  Sunday- 
schools  through  one  detailed  and  set  apart  for 
that  purpose  so  that  there  might  be  more  fruits  to  re- 
port. Suppose  we  had  a  man  who  had  trained  himself 
in  prospect  of  the  service  who  might  personally  come 
into  contact  with  our  schools,  study  their  methods  and 
find  their  particular  weak  points,  gather  our  teachers  and 
officers  into  conference  and  give  them  some  scientific  in- 
struction in  methods  of  teaching.  Organize  local  normal 
classes,  give  lectures  at  different  times  on  historical  or 
literary  or  geographical  Bible  subjects,  illustrated  with 
the  lantern  maybe,  and  held  on  week  nights  perhaps.  Let 
him  come  to  the  help  of  jaded  superintendents 
and  suggest  methods  to  those  too  busy  to  find  new  ones. 
Such  a  man  would  find  his  hands  full,  and  Presb3^tery 
would  be  brought  closer  to  its  schools  than  it  is  now  by 
his  regular  reports  of  his  work.  I  would  not  lay  this 
work  in  detail  upon  any  committee  or  individual  pastor 
who  is  in  charge  of  a  parish.  It  possesses  possibilities 
for  a  conscientious  Christian  worker,  whether  an  or- 
dained minister  or  not,  which  are  worthy  of  any  man's 
powers,  and  an  appropriate  and  not  niggardly  salary 
should  go  with  the  call  to  the  work.  I  can  see  such  a 
man  spending  a  whole  week  with  one  school.  Address- 
ing it  on   Sunday  when  the   lessons   are   dealing  with 

320 


DEVELOPMENT    OF    LOCAL    CHURCH    AND    SCHOOL 

Abraham  and  the  patriarchs  with  a  scholarly  presenta- 
tion of  the  conditions  of  life  of  their  time  in  family,  soci- 
ety and  state.  Giving  an  interest  to  the  whole  that  will 
last  through  a  dozen  lessons.  Bringing  Abraham  down 
to  earth  so  that  he  will  not  seem  a  sacred  and  unapproach- 
able, and  perhaps  mythical,  being,  as  I  fear  Bible  charac- 
ters are  regarded  by  many  scholars.  I  see  this  worker 
meeting  the  teachers  of  the  main  department  in  confer- 
ence on  Monday  evening,  and  at  least  getting  them  to  talk 
about  the  work,  leading  the  discussion  and  suggesting 
topics.  Giving  them  to  think  of  some  good  idea  that  has 
been  tried  in  some  other  school.  On  Tuesday,  perhaps, 
the  Primary  Department  matters  will  be  taken  up  and 
gone  over  with  those  in  charge  of  them.  On  Wednesday 
he  will  cheer  the  pastor  by  bearing  a  hand  in  livening  up 
the  mid-week  prayer-meeting,  where  a  new  voice  is  al- 
ways inspiring.  That  afternoon  he  has  been  talking  with 
the  superintendent  and  giving  him  at  least  the  idea  that 
somebody  on  earth  cares  for  him  and  has  a  thought  for 
the  cares  and  problems  of  his  office.  ...  I  know  that  the 
incumbent  of  this  office  in  the  rest  of  the  week's  work  will 
not  neglect  the  spiritual  in  the  presence  of  many  things 
mechanical,  and  he  can  encourage  and  renew  many  a 
teacher  whose  inner  life  has  grown  cold  and  whose  Sun- 
day-school work  has  grown  irksome." 

A  simple  plan  whereby  schools  can  educate  themselves 
and  their  churches  is  the  appointment  (through  the  co- 
operation of  the  pastor)  of  occasional  evenings,  possibly 
at  the  hour  of  the  mid-week  prayer  service,  for  ''Christian 
Knowledge  Lectures,"  when  a  book  like  Principles  of 
Religious  Education,^  each  lecture  of  which  was  pre- 
pared by  an  expert,  can  be  read  one  chapter  at  a  time. 

^A  course  of  lectures  delivered  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Sunday-school  Commission  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  pub- 
lished by  Longmans,  Green  &  Co.,  New  York  City. 

321 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Such  evenings  would  bring  people  into  more  intelligent 
sympathy  with  the  Sunday-school  and  surprisingly  in- 
crease the  efficiency  of  the  working  force. 

In  suggesting  these  plans,  I  am  neither  forgetful  nor 
inappreciative  of  the  work  of  the  International  and  State 
Sunday-school  Associations.  Their  work  has  been  large 
and  helpful,  as  it  has  been  generous.  The  International 
Association,  through  its  State  and  district  organizations, 
is  another  Paul,  *'the  ready,"  and  stands  for  the  improve- 
ment and  advancement  of  all  Sunday-school  interests ; 
and  is  in  the  field  not  so  much  to  be  helped  as  to  help. 
But  the  Association  with  its  limited  working  force  can- 
not, in  the  very  nature  of  things,  do  everything!  The 
most  that  it  can  do  is  to  co-operate  with  local  workers. 
To  this  end  church-schools  and  superintendents  will  find 
it  helpful  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  International,  State 
and  district  associations,  through  their  literature,  libra- 
ries, and  the  occasional  presence  of  the  field  secretaries  or 
other  expert  Sunday-school  workers. .  Their  presence  at 
the  teachers'  meeting,  or  better  still,  at  a  regular  preach- 
ing service  of  the  church,  deepens  and  extends  the  Sun- 
day-school idea  and  is  fruitful  of  other  blessings. 

The  work  of  the  State  and  district  associations,  through 
conventions,  teachers'  meetings,  teacher-training  classes, 
teachers'  reading  courses,  institutes,  primary  unions, 
summer  schools,  etc.,  is  also  helpful ;  and  schools  that 
arrange  for  the  attendance  of  their  teachers  are  rewarded 
by  a  larger  enthusiasm  and  intelligence  in  subsequent 
work. 

All  that  can  be  said  of  the  helpfulness  of  International 
associations  can  be  said  also  of  the  several  denominational 
Sunday-school  and  publishing  boards.  The  work  of  these 
boards,  through  their  missionaries  and  various  agen- 
cies, have  led  in  the  great  march  of  the  Church  through 
northern  forests,  across  western  plains  and  to  southern 

322 


DEVELOPMENT    OF    LOCAL    CHURCH    AND    SCHOOL 

seas.  The  banners  of  Sunday-schools  have  been  planted 
first,  and  the  building  of  churches  has  followed. 

The  Sunday-school  associations  and  boards  have  helped 
also  in  other  ways.  Many  of  the  older  schools  never 
would  have  known  of  the  better  ways  of  working,  and  of 
the  more  helpful  methods  of  studying  the  Word  of  God, 
save  for  the  conferences,  literature,  letters,  conventions, 
and  other  labors  of  love  of  these  organizations.  Their 
work,  therefore,  appeals  both  to  our  patriotism  and  to 
our  religion. 

For  the  aid  of  those  who  desire  the  inspiration  and  the 
help  that  comes  through  touch  with  the  International 
Sunday-school  Association,  the  addresses  of  the  Field 
Workers  and  General  Officers  are  here  appended.  The 
International  Field  Workers  are  as  follows : 

Marion  Lawrance,  General  Secretary,  Toledo,  O. 

Mrs.  J.  Woodbridge  Barnes,  International  Primary- 
Secretary,   Newark,   N.  J. 

Mr.  W.  C.  Pearce,  International  Field  Worker,  Chi- 
cago, 111. 

Mrs.  Mary  Foster  Bryner,  International  Field  Worker, 
Peoria,  111. 

Prof.  G.  G.  Marcus,  Field  Worker  among  the  Negroes, 
Memphis,  Tenn. 

Dr.  Charles  E.  Shepherd,  Field  Worker  among  the 
negroes,  Durham,  N.  C. 

The  State  and  Provincial  Secretaries  are  as  follows : 

Alabama — ^Joseph    Carthel,    Montgomery. 
Arkansas — Rev.  G.  A.  Henderson,  Siloam  Springs. 
California — Charles  R.   Fisher,  Oakland. 
Colorado — Rev.    John   C.    Carman,    Denver. 
Connecticut — George  S.  Demming,  New  Haven. 
Delaware — Dr.  Frank  W.  Lange,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Illinois — W.  B.  Jacobs,  Chicago, 

(Illinois  has  several  other  Field  Workers.) 
Iowa — Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  F.  Mitchel,  Des  Moines. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Kansas — J.  H.  Engel,  Abilene. 

Kentucky — Prof.  E.  A.  Fox,  Louisville. 

Louisiana — John  B.  Kent,  Covington,  Ky. 

Maine — Edward  A.  Mason,  Oakland. 

Manitoba — W,  H.  Irwin,  Winnipeg. 

Maryland — George  H.  Nock,  Baltimore. 

Massachusetts — H.    S.   Conant,   Boston. 

Michigan — Alfred  Day,  Detroit. 

Minnesota — Mrs.  J.   E.   Hobart,  Minneapolis. 

Nebraska — Prof.  J.  M.  Steidley,  Lincoln. 

New  Brunswick — Rev.  Aquilla  Lucas,  Sussex. 

New  Hampshire — J.  N.  Dummer,  Concord. 

New  Jersey — Rev.   Morris  Fergusson,  Trenton. 

New  York— Rev.  A  H.  McKinney,  Ph.D.,  New  York 
City. 

North  Dakota — John  Orchard,  Fargo. 

Nova  Scotia — Stuart  Muirhead,  Halifax. 

Ohio — Rev.  Joseph  Clark,  Columbus. 

Ontario — Rev.  J.  A.  Jackson,  Toronto. 

Pennsylvania — Hugh    Cork,    Philadelphia. 

Prince  Edward  Island — George  P.  Raymond,  Charlotte- 
town. 

Quebec — Rev.  E.  W.  Halpenny,  Montreal. 

Rhode  Island — W.  B.  Wilson,  Providence. 

Tennessee — Rev.  George  O.  Bachman,  Nashville. 

Texas — Louis  Collins,  Dallas. 

Vermont — George  L.  Story,  Essex  Junction. 

Washington — Rev.  W.  C.  Merritt,  Tacoma. 

West  Virginia — W.  C.  Shafer,  Fairmont. 

Wisconsin — ^J.  T.  Chynoweth,  Milwaukee. 

Sunday-school  workers  will  also  find  willing  and  able 
assistance  through  communication  with  the  Religious 
Education  Association/  an  undenominational  society  re- 
cently organized  in  Chicago  for  a  forward  movement  in 
religious  and  moral  education  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  and  with  view  to  rendering  any  possible  service 
"by  co-operation  of  workers  for  the  studying  of  problems, 

'Address,  153-155  La  Salle  Street,  Chicago,  111. 
324 


DEVELOPMENT    OF    LOCAL    CHURCH    AND    SCHOOL 

for  furnishing  information,  for  mutual  encouragement, 
and  for  promotion  of  higher  ideals  and  better  methods." 
I  know  that  some  church  workers  complain  of  an  "over- 
help,"  saying,  and  saying  truly,  that  the  primary  necessity 
in  all  work  in  Christ's  Kingdom  is  the  personal  touch  and 
enthusiasm  of  the  individual.  But  this  result,  and  the 
result  that  we  have  in  view  of  reaching  all  people,  young 
and  old,  and  of  bringing  them  into  affiliation  with  the 
Church  of  Christ  and  with  His  work,  is  quickened  by 
united  work  along  definite  lines,  and  only  so  can  it  be 
accomplished. 


325 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  FURNISHINGS  AND  SUPPLIES 

Strictly  speaking,  light  and  air  are  not  furniture,  but 
they  are  essentials  in  a  good  school.  Bright,  well-venti- 
lated, cheerful  rooms  plus  good  management  and  good 
teaching  mean  a  successful  Sunday-school.  In  planning 
for  the  newer  schools,  architectural  arrangements  are  of 
first  consideration:  with  careful  plan  for  light,  ventila- 
tion, and  wherever  possible,  a  system  of  sliding  doors  by 
which  each  section  of  the  school  may  be  separated  from 
the  others  during  study  time,  and  yet  when  thrown  open 
make  it  possible  for  all  to  take  part  together  in  the  open- 
ing and  closing  exercises.  In  modern  buildings  the  slid- 
ing doors  of  the  classrooms  are  opened  and  closed  by 
steam  power,  which  is  controlled  by  a  lever  from  the 
superintendent's  desk.  Beauty  and  utility  are  combined 
in  modern  ecclesiastical  architecture,  and  one  must  be 
blind,  indeed,  who  builds  a  Sunday-school  room  without 
equipping  it  with  modern  improvements. 

Many  of  the  school  furnishings  and  their  special  uses 
have  been  mentioned  in  other  places — maps,  honor  rolls, 
class  banners,  class  flags,  kindergarten  tables,  class  rec- 
ords, secretary's  record  book,  normal  course  book,  Eber- 
hardt's  Roll  of  Honor,  Robert  Raikes  diploma,  private 
class  cards,  home  study  slips,  quarterly  written  review 
papers,  etc.  Whatever  else  a  school  may  have  or  may 
not  have,  it  should  have  a  blackboard.  It  can  be  put  to 
a  thousand  uses,  and  is  an  indispensable  aid  in  the  work 
of  a  successful  school. 

326 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL    FURNISHINGS    AND    SUPPLIES 

The  mimeograph  and  the  printing  press  are  also  re- 
garded as  necessary  tools.  Not  that  it  is  necessary  for 
a  school  to  own  a  printing  press,  but  to  make  use  of  one. 
Doing  without  necessary  printing  is  stupid  economy. 
Printers'  ink  pays.  And  it  pays  to  print  cards,  announce- 
ments, programmes  and  similar  material  in  the  best  pos- 
sible forms.  Such  printing  soon  pays  for  itself  in  in- 
creased gifts ;  and  this  represents  corresponding  spiritual 
gains. 

Teachers  and  officers  make  use  of  the  mimeograph  in 
various  ways :  invitations,  letters,  notices,  programmes, 
reports  and  other  uses.  The  postal  card  on  the  following 
page,  used  by  a  teacher  in  the  Bethany  Sunday-school, 
Philadelphia,  shows  one  use  of  the  mimeograph  in  inter- 
esting children. 

For  the  general  purpose  of  a  large  school  the  Edison 
Mimeograph  No.  I,  *'for  autographic  reduplicating 
only,"  ^  will  meet  the  need. 

Smaller  schools  will  find  it  possible  to  make  a  very 
satisfactory  mimeograph  as  follows : 

Materials — i  pint  of  water. 

4  oz.  white  glue  (cost  $0.15) 
16  oz.  glycerine  (cost  $0.65) 

Put  glue  and  water  into  double  boiler.  Heat  until  the 
glue  is  melted.  Pour  the  glycerine  into  the  glue,  stir,  and 
put  the  mixture  into  pan.  Prick  out  bubbles  and  set  aside 
in  a  cool,  level  place  to  harden.  Write  with  stub  pen  on 
heavy  paper  with  hektograph  ink.  Moisten  hektograph 
with  sponge  dipped  in  warm  water.  Put  copy  on  hekto- 
graph, face  down.  Let  it  remain  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
then  remove.  Fifty  or  more  copies  may  be  obtained  by 
placing  clean  sheets  of  paper  one  at  a  time  on  the  wax 

^Address,  A.  B.  Dick  Company,  32  Liberty  Street,  New  York 
City. 


;.|>^-_j  ulJP^ 


328 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL    FURNISHINGS    AND    SUPPLIES 

impression  and  pressing  smoothly  and  firmly  with  the 
hand.  To  remove  writing,  wash  with  warm  water,  and 
the  hektograph  is  again  ready  for  use. 

The  church  paper  is  a  valuable  aid  in  keeping  the  work 
of  the  Sunday-school  before  the  congregation.  But  bet- 
ter still  is  the  Sunday-school  paper  for  magnifying  the 
work  of  the  school,  enlisting  the  interest  of  parents,  deep- 
ening the  interest  of  the  children,  and,  as  one  worker  ex- 
presses it,  ''giving  them  a  personal  appreciation  of  their 
value  to  the  community."  The  Parish  Junior  is  the 
attractive  name  of  the  paper  published  by  Trinity  Sunday- 
school,  Newport,  R.  I.  Such  papers  are  published 
monthly  or  quarterly,  and  bear,  among  other  things,  the 
names  of  all  pupils  who  obtain  a  grade  of  the  required 
per  cent,  for  honorable  mention.  The  expense  of  such 
publications  is  easily  met,  usually  by  advertisements.  Any- 
way, it  pays !  A  thousand-fold  here,  and  in  the  life  to 
come! 

The  stereopticon  is  another  adjunct  of  value.  The 
State  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Albany,  N.  Y., 
has  monthly  stereopticon  lectures  for  the  pleasure  and 
helpfulness  of  the  pupils  and  teachers  on  subjects  which 
are  akin  to  the  lessons  being  used  by  the  school,  such  as 
the  "Life  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans"  in  their  social  and 
civic  conditions,  and  on  special  aspects  of  the  life  of  Bible 
times.  Occasional  stereopticon  lectures  on  travel,  the 
various  countries  and  peoples,  and  other  secular  subjects, 
make  pleasing  and  helpful  entertainments,  and  bind  the 
children  with  growing  affection  and  pleasantest  associa- 
tion to  the  church  school. 

For  conveying  definite  ideas  of  places  and  things,  pic- 
tures and  raised  maps  and  models  of  special  objects  are 
easily  obtained,  but  should  be  selected  with  great  care. 
No  doubt  vast  harm  is  often  done  through  exhibiting  pic- 
tures to  children  that  give  erroneous  impressions,  which 

329 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

cannot  easily  be  effaced  from  the  mind.  The  model  of 
the  temple,  ^  by  E.  D.  Fisher,  may  be  highly  commended 
for  its  accuracy  and  for  its  help  to  Bible  students.  This 
model  is  not  a  toy,  but  a  carefully  and  scientifically  con- 
structed model  of  the  temple  of  Herod  as  it  appeared  in 
the  time  of  our  Saviour,  prepared  on  a  scale  of  one  six- 
hundredth  actual  size. 

The  model  "Map  of  Jordan  Valley,"  ^  showing  the  Dead 
Sea,  Jordan  River,  Lake  Gennesaret,  and  suggesting  the 
typography  of  the  outlying  country,  with  prepared  pieces 
suggesting  the  border  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  that  ad- 
mits of  representing  the  interlying  country  by  molding 
moist  sand  into  hills  and  valleys,  representing  desert  places 
by  small  pieces  of  stone  and  moss,  and  water  by  tin  foil, 
makes  an  attractive  map. 

A  room  given  to  models,  maps,  curios,  and  flowers  from 
the  Holy  Land,  pictures  and  drawings  of  the  tabernacle 
and  temple  with  appended  explanations,  and  to  other 
things  illustrative  of  Bible  customs  and  manners,  will 
do  its  part  in  stimulating  the  interest  of  pupils  and  teach- 
ers in  their  study  and  understanding  of  the  Scriptures. 

One  should  occasionally  review  the  annual  catalogues 
of  Sunday-school  publications,  supplies  and  specialties  of 
David  C.  Cook  Publishing  Company,  36  Washing- 
ton Street,  Chicago,  111. ;  the  Twentieth  Century  Sun- 
day-school Bureau,  Paterson,  N.  J. ;  Theodore  M.  Ham- 
mond, Milwaukee,  Wis. ;  W.  B.  Jacobs,  132  La  Salle 
Street,  Chicago,  111. ;  Ward  and  Drummond  Company,  7 
West  Nineteenth  Street,  New  York;  Goodenough  and 
Woglom  Company,  122  Nassau  Street,  New  York ;  Mac- 
Calla  and  Company,  237-239  Dock  Street,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa. 

'Address,  E.  D.  Fisher,  Rock  Island,  111. 

^Address,  Woodward  &  Lothrop,  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
New  York  City. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

ORGANIZATION 

I.  Organization  is  an  underlying  principle,  conditio 
sine  qua  non,  of  the  modern  Sunday-school.  Who  can 
conceive  of  the  operating  of  a  railroad,  the  managing  of  a 
business,  or  the  maintaining  of  a  country  school  without 
organization?  Yet  some  Christian  workers  cry  out 
against  organization,  and  say  that  we  are  ''organized  to 
death !"  The  opposite  is  true.  Thousands  of  Sunday- 
schools  are  in  hopeless  impotency  to-day  because  of  loose, 
slovenly  ways,  and  are  dying  for  want  of  simplest  com- 
mon-sense business  methods.  Such  ''workers"  are  never 
guilty  of  trying  anything  new  nor  of  planning  for  things 
old.  Either  they  are  densely  ignorant  or  wilfully  negli- 
gent, trees  that  cumber  the  ground — the  men  that  have 
made  judgments  chaos,  and  lost  our  youth  to  calamity 
needless  and  merciless. 

But  what  is  organization  ?  By  organization  we  do  not 
mean  confidence  in  clever  diplomacy,  heedless  that  pozver 
lies  with  God;  nor  do  we  mean  by  organization  that  a  Sun- 
day-school can  be  run  like  a  machine.  We  mean  rather 
that  we  are  to  work  as  God  works,  by  counsel  and  method, 
mindful  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  cause  and  effect,  and 
that  God's  great  universe  is  permeated  by  law.  "All's 
love,  yet  all's  law."  If  we  are  to  have  part  in  the  great 
plan  of  God  we  must  be  methodical,  with  practical,  or- 
derly, progressive  ways  of  working.  The  Almighty  is 
the  All-Methodical — that  is  Isaiah's  reasoning  in  his  les- 
sons from  the  husbandman.^  "Jehovah  of  hosts  is  won- 
^  Isaiah  28 :  23-29. 
331 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

derful  in  counsel,  and  excellent  in  that  sort  of  wisdom 
which  causes  things  to  succeed."  ^  Organization  also 
means  that  machinery  is  nothing  save  there  is  power  in 
it  and  back  of  it;  so  in  the  organized  Sunday-school,  we 
know  that  nothing  is  of  value  save  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  in  and  through  all.  Along  with  organized  forces,  there- 
fore, the  closest  personal  care,  heart  interest  and  individual 
prayerful  endeavor  is  brought  to  bear  on  each  individual 
member  of  the  school. 

II.  Since  every  plan  and  procedure  of  Sunday-school 
work,  all  that  we  do  and  do  not  do,  affects  the  organic 
growth  of  the  school,  we  are  ready  to  ask.  How  can  we 
mobilize  the  work,  correllate  the  several  parts  and  make 
them  mutually  helpful? 

I.  First,  there  should  be  an  executive  or  superintend- 
ent's cabinet.  Of  course,  large  responsibility  rests  with 
pastor  and  superintendent.  But  it  has  happened  not  infre- 
quently in  smaller  schools  that  the  superintendent  cannot 
be  depended  on  for  initiative  or  ''carrying  through"  the 
work  of  the  school.  How  many  a  Decision  Day,  Easter 
Day  and  other  important  services  have  passed  unnoticed 
because  not  thought  of  until  too  late  for  suitable  prepara- 
tion !  Living  along — or  dying  along — in  such  a  rut,  our 
youth  have  dropped  by  the  way.     Why  wonder? 

The  executive,  cabinet,  or  board  of  managers  consists 
usually  of  pastor,  officers  and  one  or  more  appointed  teach- 
ers, sometimes  including  representatives  of  adult 
classes  and  of  officers  of  the  church,  also  the  chairmen 
of  the  various  departments  of  the  school.  Weekly  or 
monthly  meetings  are  held ;  at  the  written  request  of  two 
or  more  members,  as  the  executive  may  determine,  special 
meetings  must  be  called  by  the  superintendent.  It  is  the 
duty  of  the  executive  to  devise  plans  for  the  regulation 

^  Isaiah  28 :  29,  translation  of  Professor  George  Adam  Smith, 
The  Book  of  Isaiah,  Vol.  I,  p.  166. 


ORGANIZATION 

and  general  improvement  of  the  school,  and  to  consider 
all  matters  pertaining  to  its  interests.  Written  reports 
of  recommendations  are  then  made  to  the  Teachers'  As- 
sociation, which  includes  all  the  officers  and  teachers  of 
the  school,  and  the  pastor  of  the  church.  In  the  Roll- 
stone  Congregational  Sunday-school,  Fitchburg,  Mass.,  all 
business  is  planned,  and  so  far  as  possible  executed  by 
the  board  of  managers,  which  also  has  charge  of  the  ap- 
pointment of  all  committees  for  concerts,  Christmas, 
promotion  days,  picnics,  etc.  The  advisory  committee  is 
another  term  used,  as  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  where  the  committee  consists 
of  seven  members,  including  pastor,  superintendent  and 
assistant  superintendent,  and  has  the  work  of  grading  and 
arranging  scholars  into  classes,  advising  the  appointment, 
transfer  or  removal  of  any  or  all  teachers  or  pupils;  of 
providing  substitute  teachers,  visiting  absent  teachers  and 
scholars  or  causing  others  to  do  so ;  of  devising  ways  and 
methods  to  awaken  an  interest  among  those  competent  to 
instruct,  so  that  an  efficient  and  sufficient  supply  of  per- 
sons may  be  available  for  teaching.  This  committee  de- 
cides the  hour  for  holding  the  sessions  of  the  school,  time 
and  place  of  teachers'  meetings,  anniversaries,  etc.  In 
placing  the  scholars  in  classes,  the  advisory  committee  of 
the  Park  Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  is  absolute.  The  schol- 
ars are  allowed  to  send  in  a  written  request  as  to  the  class 
they  may  wish  to  enter,  but  must  abide  by  the  decision 
of  the  committee.  The  importance  of  such  executives  is 
apparent.  Teachers  have  the  burden  of  teaching,  and 
should  be  relieved  of  business  details  as  largely  as  possi- 
ble; at  the  same  time  they  must  be  sufficiently  consulted 
on  all  things.  The  executive  or  cabinet  meets  the  need. 
Let  us  not  confound  it  with  the  teachers'  meeting. 

2.     The  selection  and  election  of  the  officers  of  a  school, 
apparently  a  simple  matter,  is  often  a  delicate  task,  as 

333 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

difficult  as  important.  The  old  and  clumsy  way  of  elec- 
tion at  the  annual  meeting  of  a  church  is  necessary  in  some 
parishes  because  of  their  personnel.  But  when  possible  it 
is  left  to  the  teachers  or  the  executive  of  a  school,  some 
official  board  of  the  church  being  required  to  give  its  ap- 
proval. In  the  Central  Congregational  Church,  Fall  River, 
Mass.,  the  superintendents  are  nominated  by  the  board  of 
managers  and  the  nominations  are  confirmed  (or  other- 
wise) at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  church.  The  superin- 
tendent appoints  the  department  supervisors,  the  secretary, 
treasurer,  librarian  and  historian,  subject  to  confirmation 
of  the  board  of  managers  at  its  annual  meeting.  The  de- 
partment supervisors  appoint  all  assistants  in  their  de- 
partments, subject  to  approval  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee. 

3.  Discretion  and  care  in  the  selection  of  teachers  is 
also  essential.  Teachers  should  never  be  appointed  in- 
discriminately. Their  selection  is  usually  made  by  the 
superintendent  or  pastor,  subject  to  ratification  by  the 
Teachers'  Association.  In  some  schools  the  recommenda- 
tion of  teachers  is  in  the  care  of  a  committee  on 
teachers,  or  department  supervisor,  an  officer  with  that 
special  duty,  his  recommendations  being  subject  to  ratifi- 
cation by  the  superintendent  or  the  Teachers'  Associa- 
tion. 

The  manual  of  the  Collingwood  Avenue  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Toledo,  Ohio,  defines  the  duties  of  each 
officer,  when  and  how  elected  and  term  of  office,  the  duties 
of  the  teachers  and  what  will  be  required  of  them,  to- 
gether with  rules  for  the  government  of  the  entire  school. 
After  a  careful  reading  teachers  are  expected  to  endorse 
the  rules  and  promise  to  abide  by  them  by  signing  their 
names  on  a  list  provided  for  that  purpose. 

4.  If  pupils  are  to  have  continued  and  growing  inter- 
est in  the  progress  of  a  school,  they  must  be  kept  in  touch 

334 


ORGANIZATION 

with  its  work.  To  this  end  the  secretary's  report  is  essen- 
tial. The  whole  school  has  pleasurable  interest  in  that  re- 
port, and  a  right  to  it.  The  secretary  should  have  assist- 
ance sufficient  to  ensure  a  complete  report  at  the  close 
of  every  session  of  the  school.  The  secretary's  report  for 
the  day  should  include,  usually,  items  that  will  enable  one 
following  the  report  to  gain  an  intelligent  idea  of  just 
what  the  school  has  done  for  that  day  in  comparison  with 
what  it  might  have  done,  and  in  comparison  with  what 
it  actually  has  done  in  the  past.  For  instance,  in  the 
Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  the  first  item  read  is  the  total  enrolment  of  the  school ; 
next,  the  total  number  present  for  the  day,  followed  by 
the  total  present  for  the  same  Sunday  of  the  year  pre- 
vious (with  this  some  schools  include  reports  of  the 
weather  for  that  day)  ;  then  the  percentage  of  enrolment 
present  for  the  day,  followed  by  the  percentage  of  the  en- 
rolment present  for  the  same  day  of  the  year  previous. 
Following  this  are  announced  the  percentages  present  for 
the  day  in  the  Adult  Department,  the  Senior  Department, 
the  Junior  Department  and  the  Primary  Department. 
This  shows  which  department  has  done  best  in  attendance 
for  that  day. 

As  an  aid  to  the  secretary  in  his  work,  that  the  school 
may  continue  its  personal  care  and  hold  of  every  pupil, 
teachers'  blank  report  forms  should  be  used  in  the  smaller 
as  well  as  in  the  larger  schools.  The  home-made  mimeo- 
graph ^  makes  this  possible  even  with  such  schools  as 
"must  count  their  pennies."  In  the  Simpson  Methodist 
Episcopal  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  slips  are  used 
to  notify  the  secretary  of  change  of  address,  transfers  to 
other  classes,  or  of  cases  where  names  should  be  dropped 
from  the  roll.   The  following  is  a  specimen,  "Please  trans- 

^  See  Chapter  XXVI.,  on  Sunday-school  Furnishings  and  Sup- 
plies. 

335 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

fer"  or  "Please  drop  from  the  roll"  being  substituted  in 
the  other  slips  for  "Please  change  the  address." 


SIMPSON    M.  E.  SUNDAY-SCHOOL, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


igo 

To  the  Secretary : 

PLEASE   CHANGE   THE  ADDRESS   OF 

Name 

From 

To 

Class  No 


Teacher. 


When  a  pupil's  name  is  dropped  from  the  roll,  the  rea- 
son therefor  should  be  reported  to  and  recorded  by  the 
secretary. 

The  importance  of  records,  the  care  that  successful 
schools  are  giving  to  the  details  of  their  work  and  the  in- 
terest of  laymen  in  it,  is  suggested  by  the  Rev.  S.  E.  East- 
man, of  the  Park  Church  School,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  say- 
ing: "There  is  much  devotion  to  the  school  on  the  part 
of  many  members  of  the  church,  sacrificing  time  and 
ease  and  pleasure  for  the  sake  of  its  success.  Our  *lady 
of  the  figures'  who  prepares  the  reports  takes  at  least 
two  days  in  each  week  for  the  Sunday-school.  Our  man 
who  sees  to  the  printing  is  a  busy  lawyer,  but  he,  with 
his  stenographer,  never  fails  us,  and  so  of  many  of  the 
teachers."  The  Modern  Methods  Sunday-school  Class 
Book  ^  is  a  new  book  for   class   records,   suited  to  the 

*  The  Mercury  Publishing  Co.,  publishers,  Newport,  R.  I. 
Books,  capacity  for  eighteen  pupils,  lo  cents  each,  or  $i  per 
dozen,  postpaid. 


ORGANIZATION 

requirements  of  modern  Sunday-schools,  with  provision 
for  personal  and  family  data  of  each  pupil  now  required 
to  be  recorded,  with  a  simplified,  comprehensive  system 
of  marking,  and  with  pages  so  arranged  as  to  require  the 
writing  of  the  names  of  pupils  but  once  for  the  whole 
year,  including  the  record  of  all  data.  The  book  lightens 
the  labor  of  teachers  and  Sunday-school  secretaries,  and 
its  comprehensive  data,  which  is  now  regarded  as  essen- 
tial by  progressive  schools,  is  an  inspiration  as  well 
as  aid  to  teachers  and  all  Sunday-school  workers.  We 
believe  that  this  new  record  book  has  superior  advantages 
even  over  the  card  system. 

5.  Special  officers  for  special  work.  The  superin- 
tendent of  classification,  to  whom  reference  is  made  in 
Chapter  XI,  is  usually  given  the  responsibility  not  only 
of  welcoming  and  knowing  new  pupils,  and  of  placing 
them  in  classes,  but  also  of  attending  to  the  promotions 
from  one  department  to  another  and  the  changing  from 
one  class  to  another.  Again,  as  in  the  Washington  Street 
Congregational  Sunday-school,  Toledo,  Ohio,  he  has  gen- 
eral oversight  and  care  of  the  rolls;  reviews  the  class 
cards  to  notice  irregularities,  etc. ;  makes  out  the  honor 
rolls ;  turns  over  to  the  school  biographer  quarterly  the 
names  of  new  members  to  be  entered  on  his  book  and 
the  names  to  be  dropped;  and  gives  the  Christian  En- 
deavor Sunday-school  committee  the  names  of  absent 
members  to  look  up  and  report  upon. 

The  birthday  secretary  is  another  special  officer,  who 
finds  his  hands  full  and  his  heart  enlarged  in  keeping  the 
school  acquainted  with  birthdays,  and  in  extending  birth- 
day greetings  by  letter  or  otherwise  to  the  members  of  the 
school. 

The  work  of  the  Hyde  Park  Baptist  Church,  Hyde 
Park,  111.,  is  divided  into  departments,  over  which  are  di- 
rectors, called  Directors  of  Spiritual  Life,  of  Instruction, 

337 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

of  Benevo!ence,  of  the  Library  and  of  Public  Exercises. 
This  school  also  has  an  appointed  examiner  who  has 
supervision  of  examinations,  and  has  principals  over  the 
several  study  divisions :  A,  the  Elementary  Division ;  B, 
the  Secondary  Division;  C,  the  Adult  Division;  D,  the 
Home  Division. 

In  the  Bethel  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  East  Or- 
ange, N.  J.,  it  has  always  been  the  aim  to  have  every 
teacher  and  officer  a  member  of  at  least  one  committee. 
All  the  regular  work  of  the  school  is  divided  among  four 
regular  standing  committees,  the  ''Benevolent  and  Mis- 
sionary," "Social  and  Entertainment,"  "Music  and  Spe- 
cial Exercises,"  "Library  and  Literature."  Regular 
monthly  meetings  of  the  teachers  are  held,  at  which  these 
committees  make  regular  reports,  and  when  all  other  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  interests  of  the  school  are  discussed. 

6.  The  part  of  pupils  in  school  organization  is  large 
and  important,  and  this  should  be  made  clear  to  them. 
Teaching  is  not  the  end  of  our  work,  nor  is  conversion,  or 
church  membership;  these  are  but  parts  of  the  whole, 
steps  by  the  way,  of  what  we  call  Christian  growth — 
growth  in  holy  character  and  holy  service.  Truth  must 
become  incarnate,  our  religion  a  living  thing;  our  faith 
have  hands  and  feet,  voice  and  heart,  that  are  about  our 
Father's  business.  The  plan  of  encouraging  scholars  to 
visit  other  members  of  their  classes,  the  absent  and  sick, 
to  visit  the  aged  with  gifts  of  flowers  or  other  kindly 
remembrance,  to  give  sympathy  and  help  to  some  forlorn 
and  needy  people,  and  of  stimulating  pupils  to  regard  the 
good  and  growth  of  the  school  and  to  work  for  new  schol- 
ars— all  this  is  simple,  possible,  practicable  and  helpful 
to  Christian  growth,  developing  a  spirit  of  service,  mak- 
ing the  beginning  of  a  training  for  it  and  giving  a  taste 
of  it.  Those  Sunday-school  workers  who  ignore  this  law 
of  development  will  never  lead  their  pupils  to  large  Chris- 

338 


ORGANIZATION 

tian  experience.  In  recognition  of  the  importance  of  the 
individual,  some  schools  print  card  ''reminders"  on  which 
are  outlined  the  Sunday-school  announcements,  such  as 
library,  hours  of  meetings,  the  privileges  of  pupils  as 
members  of  the  school,  awards  of  merit,  honor  rolls,  re- 
quirements for  records,  awards  for  bringing  in  new  schol- 
ars, ways  of  helping  the  school,  requests  of  notification 
of  sickness,  appeals  for  providing  and  distributing  flowers, 
class  and  school  rules,  etc.  Such  cards  are  given  to  mem- 
bers of  the  school  and  to  new  members,  bearing  to  them 
also  words  of  the  school's  warm  welcome ! 

7.     As  a  suggestion  for  a  model  constitution  and  by- 
laws, we  append  the  following : 

CONSTITUTION 


ARTICLE  I 


NAME 

This  school  shall  be  called  The  Sunday-school  of  Cal- 
vary Baptist  Church  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

ARTICLE  II 

ORGANIZATION 

The  organization  of  the  school  shall  be  as  follows: 
Adult,  Junior,  Intermediate,  Primary,  Kindergarten  and 
Home  Departments. 

ARTICLE  III 

OFFICERS 

The  general  officers  of  the  school  shall  be  the  pastor,  a 
superintendent,  a  secretary,  a  treasurer,  and  a  librarian; 
and  there  shall  also  be  six  associate  superintendents,  a 
secretary  of  the  Teachers'  Bible  Club,  and  such  assistants 
as  these  officers  may  appoint,  with  the  approval  of  the 

339 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Board  of  Management.     All  officers  shall  be  members  of 
the  Calvary  Baptist  Church. 


ARTICLE  IV 

TEACHERS 

All  permanent  teachers  and  visitors  in  the  Home  De- 
partment shall  be  members  of  a  Baptist  Church,  and  each 
teacher  and  visitor  hereafter  appointed  shall  be  recom- 
mended by  the  associate  superintendent  having  charge  of 
the  department  in  which  such  person  shall  serve,  which 
recommendation  shall  be  approved  by  a  vote  of  the  ma- 
jority of  the  Officers'  Council  acting  upon  such  recom- 
mendation. Each  substitute  teacher  shall  be  a  professed 
Christian. 

ARTICLE  V 

ELECTION   OF  OFFICERS 

Section  i.  The  officers  of  the  school  shall  be  elected 
annually  by  the  Board  of  Management,  on  the  last  Thurs- 
day evening  in  December,  and  they  shall  hold  office  for 
one  year,  or  until  their  successors  are  elected.  At  this 
meeting  the  officers  shall  name  their  assistants. 

Sec.  2.  All  elections  must  be  by  ballot,  and  a  majority 
vote  of  those  present  shall  elect. 

Sec.  3.  Vacancies  in  any  office  may  be  filled  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  of  Management  called  in  the  usual  way 
of  calling  such  meetings  and  for  that  purpose.  Not  less 
than  two  weeks'  public  notice  shall  be  given  of  such 
meeting. 

ARTICLE  VI 

BOARD   OF   MANAGEMENT 

There  shall  be  a  Board  of  Management,  which  shall 
consist  of  the  pastor,  officers,  teachers,  and  "visitors," 
which  shall  have  direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  school. 


340 


ORGANIZATION 
ARTICLE  VII 

STANDING  COMMITTEES 

There  shall  be  two  standing  committees  appointed  by 
the  superintendent  immediately  after  the  annual  meet- 
ing, subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Officers  Council,  as  fol- 
lows : 

1.  A  finance  committee,  consisting  of  nine  persons — the 
treasurer  of  the  school  to  be  chairman ;  the  superintendent 
to  be  a  member ;  the  other  seven  members  to  be  chosen 
two  from  the  Adult  Department  and  one  from  each  of  the 
other  five  departments  of  the  school.  It  shall  be  the  duty 
of  this  committee  to  provide  ways  and  means  to  carry  on 
the  work  of  the  school,  to  direct  the  method  of  the  col- 
lections,  and  have  charge  of  all   financial   matters. 

2,  A  library  committee,  consisting  of  nine  persons,  of 
which  the  librarian  shall  be  chairman.  It  shall  be  the 
duty  of  this  committee  to  make  the  necessary  rules  for 
the  government  of  the  library,  and  purchase  new  books 
out  of  funds  appropriated  for  that  purpose. 

ARTICLE  VIII 

DUTIES    OF    OFFICERS 

Section  i.  The  superintendent  shall  have  general  super- 
vision and  direction  of  the  school,  and  shall  preside  at 
all  business  meetings,  and  at  the  meetings  of  the  Teachers' 
Bible  Club,  and  shall  have  such  powers  as  are  usually 
connected  with  the  office,  and  shall  close  the  exercises 
in  the  Adult  Department  except  when  otherwise  engaged. 
He  shall  be  ex  officio  a  member  of  all  standing  com- 
mittees. In  the  absence  of  the  superintendent,  the  pastor 
shall  be  acting  superintendent,  but  he  may  designate  one 
of  the  associate  superintendents  to  perform  any  of  the 
duties  usually  devolving  upon  the  superintendent. 

Sec.  2.  The  duties  of  associate  superintendents  shall  be 
as  follows :  One  shall  have  charge  of  and  conduct  the 
opening  exercises  of  the  Adult  Department;  one  shall 
have  charge  of  and  conduct  the  exercises  of  the  Junior 
Department;  one  of  the  Intermediate  Department;  one 
of  the  Primary  Department;  one  of  the  Kindergarten. 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

One  shall  have  general  supervision  of  the  Home  De- 
partment work. 

Sec.  3.  The  secretary  shall  keep  minutes  of  all  meetings 
of  the  officers  and  of  the  Board  of  Management,  shall 
keep  a  record  of  the  membership  and  attendance  of  the 
school,  shall  report  the  attendance  on  each  Sunday  morn- 
ing to  the  associate  superintendent  in  charge  of  the 
Primary,  Intermediate,  Junior  and  Adult  Departments, 
and  perform  all  the  duties  usually  devolving  on  such  an 
officer. 

Sec.  4.  The  treasurer  shall  attend  to  taking  the  col- 
lection, having  charge  of  all  the  funds  belonging  to  the 
school,  and  shall  disburse  them  by  check  upon  the  v^^ritten 
order  of  the  finance  committee  and  the  approval  of  the 
superintendent.  He  shall  deposit  all  funds  in  some  bank 
to  be  designated  by  the  Finance  Committee,  and  shall 
keep  a  permanent  record  of  all  receipts  and  disbursements. 

Sec.  5.  The  librarian  shall  have  charge  of  all  books, 
maps,  etc.,  belonging  to  the  school,  attend  to  distributing 
and  collecting  the  books,  and  keep  a  record  of  all  books 
given  out  and  returned. 

Sec.  6.  The  secretary  of  the  Teachers'  Bible  Club  shall, 
under  the  direction  of  the  leader,  prepare  a  programme 
for  each  meeting,  designate  the  members  to  take  part, 
keep  a  record  of  the  attendance,  and  make  such  reports  as 
may  be  required. 

ARTICLE  IX 

REPORTS 

The  superintendent,  associate  superintendent,  secretary, 
treasurer,  librarian  and  secretary  of  the  Teachers'  Bible 
Club  shall  make  written  reports  at  the  regular  quarterly 
business  meetings,  and  such  other  special  reports  as  shall 
be  required  by  the  Board  of  Management. 

ARTICLE  X 

AMENDMENTS 

This  Constitution  and  the  By-Laws  following  may  be 
amended  at  any  regular  meeting  by  a  majority  vote  of  the 
members  present,  providing  that  two  weeks'  notice  has 
been  given  of  the  proposed  amendment. 


ORGANIZATION 
BY-LAV/S 


The  regular  session  of  the  school  for  the  study  of  the 
Bible  shall  be  held  at  9 130  o'clock  each  Sunday  morning, 
unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the  Board  of  Management 
and  approved  by  the  Church. 

II 

The  general  officers  of  the  school  and  the  associate 
superintendents  shall  constitute  an  officers'  council,  and 
shall  meet  once  a  month, 

III 

The  Teachers'  Bible  Club  shall  meet  on  each  Thursday 
evening,  at  7  o'clock,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by  the 
Board  of   Management. 

IV 

Regular  business  meetings  of  the  Board  of  Manage- 
ment shall  be  held  quarterly  during  the  week  following 
the  first  Sunday  of  January,  April,  July  and  October, 
when  reports  shall  be  submitted  by  each  officer.  The  an- 
nual business  meeting  shall  be  held  on  the  last  Thurs- 
day evening  of  December,  and  if  the  business  is  not  com- 
pleted the  meeting  may  be  adjourned  from  time  to  time 
by  a  majority  vote  of  the  members  present.  A  quorum 
shall  consist  of  not  less  than  fifteen  members. 


The  order  of  the  exercises   for  the  regular  business 
meetings  shall  be  as  follows : 
1st.    Prayer. 

2d.    Reading  of  the  minutes  of  previous  meetings. 
3d.    Reports  of  officers. 
4th.  Reports  of  committees. 
5th.  Unfinished  business. 
6th.  New   business. 
7th.  Adjournment. 

343 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

In  the  manual  of  the  North  Church  Bible-school,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  are  the  following  excellent  requirements : 

Co-Operation 

Is  to  be  continually  the  keynote  of  our  work  and  the 
secret  of  our  success — pastors,  officers,  teachers,  pupils. 
The  interest  of  one,  the  interest  of  all ;  the  interest  of 
all,  the  glory  of  Christ's  Kingdom  in  the  Church  which 
He  has  chosen  as  His  own. 

Right  Beginning 

Teachers  and  officers  should  be  in  their  places  ten 
minutes  before  the  opening  of  the  school,  which  is  always 
promptly  at  2  o'clock. 

New  Scholars 

Should  be  presented  at  once  to  one  of  the  superintend- 
ents, and  their  names  in  no  case  entered  on  the  class  roll 
until  placed  in  the  class  by  the  superintendent  of  the 
division. 

Visitors 

Cannot  take  the  place  of  scholars  in  any  class,  but  should 
be  introduced  to  one  of  the  superintendents,  and  by  him 
seated  where  most  convenient. 

Study  of  the  Lesson 

The  thirty  minutes,  from  2.40  to  3.10,  will  be  fully 
given  to  the  study  of  the  lesson  in  each  class.  No  inter- 
ruptions of  any  description  will  be  allowed  during  this 
time. 

This  last  point  should  be  printed  in  big,  bold  type  and 
put  into  the  hat  of  every  superintendent  and  teacher. 


344 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  RELATION  OF  THE  PASTOR  TO  THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

The  ideal  relations  of  the  pastor  to  the  Sunday-school, 
like  that  of  the  superintendent,  can  be  set  forth  only  in 
the  light  of  the  work  of  the  school  as  a  whole.  But  cer- 
tain relations  of  the  pastor  to  the  school  determine  other 
relations  and  require  special  mention,  and  that  is  the  pur- 
pose of  this  chapter.  I  shall  not  refer,  however,  to  the 
more  familiar  duties,  such  as  of  prayer  for  the  school, 
heart  interest  in  it,  love  for  the  children  and  acquaintance 
with  them,  keeping  the  school  before  the  church  through 
public  prayer  and  announcements,  personal  visitation  of 
pupils  and  parents  in  their  homes  and  similar  essential 
duties.  Such  duties  certainly  are  met  by  the  intelligent 
and  consecrated  ministry  of  to-day.  But  there  are  other 
relations,  familiar  perhaps,  but  of  such  fundamental  im- 
portance as  to  compel  special  mention. 

First,  the  place  of  the  pastor  in  the  Sunday-school  can- 
not be  taken  by  another,  however  efficient  the  superin- 
tendent or  however  complete  the  organization  of  the 
school.  Indeed,  it  is  the  efficient  superintendent — the 
man  who  sees  things  and  brings  things  to  pass — who  ap- 
preciates the  importance  of  the  pastor's  presence,  sym- 
pathy, counsel  and  influence  in  all  the  work  of  the  school ; 
and  who  realizes  that  the  presence  and  co-operation  of  the 
pastor  is  helpful  to  the  scholars  if  for  no  other  reason 
than  just  because  he  is  the  pastor  of  the  school.  But  the 
day  is  fast  passing  when  the  "just  because"  is  all  that  is 
expected  or  required  in   the  work  of  the   Bible-school. 

345 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

That  work  is  so  basal  and  so  vital,  so  manifold  in  its  ex- 
actions and  so  urgent  and  desperate  in  its  need,  that  the 
pastor's  consecrated  head  and  hand  and  heart  are  required 
at  its  centre,  along  with  other  consecrated  lives !  A 
word,  then,  as  to  the  relation  of  pastor  and  superin- 
tendent. 

When  there  is  the  spirit  of  the  Master  with  both  super- 
intendent and  pastor,  as  we  gladly  believe  there  usually  is, 
it  is  unthinkable  that  any  personal  sensitiveness  of  either 
should  be  allowed  to  cripple  the  work,  even  in  the  least 
of  ways.  If  they  may  sometimes  differ  in  their  judg- 
ments, they  will  yet  be  united  in  spirit  and  purpose, 
and  in  loyalty  to  the  souls  over  which  God  hath  made 
them  overseers.  We  have  no  fear  of  collision  between 
pastors  and  superintendents.  On  the  contrary,  we  expect 
happiest  relations  in  mutual  helpfulness,  and  of  deepening 
and  growing  affection  under  the  common  inspiration  of  a 
great  cause. 

2.  The  pastor,  of  course,  will  encourage  laymen  to 
engage  in  the  work  of  the  Bible-school,  and,  as  largely 
as  possible,  will  place  responsibilities  with  them.  A  larger 
and  increasing  laic  service,  indeed,  is  a  dominant  idea  of 
the  new  evangelism.  No  one  can  understand  the  larger 
religious  life  that  is  moving  like  an  ocean  tide  through  the 
Christian  world,  who  overlooks  the  principle  of  laic  ser- 
vice. The  wise  pastor,  too,  will  remember  that  from  the 
very  inception  of  Bible-schools,  under  the  old  Jewish 
law,  in  the  teaching  of  the  synagogues  and  later  in  the 
catechumenical  schools  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  down 
through  the  centuries,  laymen  have  held  honored  and  re- 
sponsible places  in  Bible-school  work.  In  Bible  times 
clergy  and  laity  shared  the  arduous  duties  of  teaching. 
It  is  so  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  now.  There  came 
a  time,  however,  when  Protestant  clergymen  apparently 
regarded  their  teaching  duties  as  prescribed  by  the  duties 

346 


RELATION   OF   PASTOR  TO    SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

of  the  pulpit,  and  to  the  grown-up  folk  of  the  congrega- 
tions. But  now  there  is  a  call  for  the  return  of  ministers 
to  the  Bible  way  of  working;  and  from  no  one  is  there 
more  urgent  call  than  from  earnest  superintendents. 

3.  Having  recognized  the  responsible  part  of  laymen 
in  the  work  of  Bible-schools,  I  desire  now  to  say  what, 
perhaps,  is  our  most  important  word  on  the  relation 
of  the  pastor  to  the  school,  namely,  that  the  pastor  is  the 
responsible  head  of  the  school  of  his  church!  Whether 
or  not  the  pastor  should  superintend  his  own  Sunday- 
school  must  be  determined  by  local  conditions.  I  believe 
that  much  can  be  said  in  favor  of  a  pastor  so  doing  in  the 
majority  of  schools.  If  the  pastor  is  superintendent,  he 
should  delegate  the  work  to  others  as  largely  as  possible, 
and  train  them  for  sharing  its  responsible  duties.  For- 
tunate, indeed,  is  the  minister  if  blessed  with  a  gifted  and 
consecrated  superintendent;  even  then  there  are  honors 
enough  to  go  around!  If  the  superintendent  is  forget- 
ful or  not  always  capable,  then  the  responsibility  that  falls 
to  the  pastor  is  the  greater,  and  only  a  faithful  discharge 
of  all  duties  will  meet  the  demands  of  his  holy  office.  Be- 
cause the  pastor  is  the  responsible' head,  there  must  be  an 
account  rendered  to  God  by  him  for  each  soul  entrusted 
to  the  Church  for  Christian  care  and  nurture.  It  is  the 
pastor's  duty — and  even  preaching  duties  cannot  absolve 
him  from  it — to  see  that  the  work  of  the  Sunday-school 
is  done  and  that  its  every  interest  is  advanced!  If  the 
superintendent  or  other  workers  fail  in  planning  or  do- 
ing, it  is  the  pastor's  solemn  responsibility,  with  all  possi- 
ble tact,  considerateness,  kindness  and  firmness,  to  see 
that  things  are  brought  to  pass.  The  pastor  is  the  pastor 
of  the  school,  because  the  school  is  a  part  of  the  church ; 
therefore,  his  duty  to  the  school  is  as  his  duty  to  other 
departments  of  church  work,  nothing  less!  Do  some 
schools  question  the  pastor's  supervision?     Bishop  John 

347 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

H.  Vincent,  D.D.,  says :  "The  Sunday-school  is  pre-emi- 
nently the  field  for  laic  labor,  and  yet  the  pastor  .  .  .  has 
the  same  abstract  right  to  guide  in  all  matters  that  pertain 
to  instruction  in  his  Sunday-school  that  he  has  in  his 
pulpit.  .  .  .  We  assert  that  the  Sunday-school  can  never 
so  belong  to  the  laity  as  to  justify  it  in  putting  an  injunc- 
tion upon  the  pastor's  oversight  and  direction  there.  His 
is  the  original  right.  The  laymen  become  sharers  in  it 
by  virtue  of  their  service,  and  the  pastor  should  conserve 
these  mutual  rights  with  prudence,  fidelity  and  deli- 
cacy." ^  Of  course,  there  is  much  in  the  way  we  do 
things.  A  minister  is  not  in  the  Sunday-school  for  the 
exhibition  of  mere  ecclesiastical  authority.  If  he  is  the 
responsible  leader,  he  is  also  the  servant  of  all,  and  his 
work  is  to  be  tempered  by  the  spirit  of  Christian  charity, 
tenderness  and  humility,  ''even  as  the  Son  of  man  came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  minister."  ^ 

It  requires  also  to  be  said  that  there  is  an  immediate, 
as  well  as  a  final,  account  which  ministers  must  render. 
Successful  churches,  as  well  as  corporations,  must  per- 
force localize  responsibility,  and  they  have  the  right  to 
hold  the  pastor  responsible  for  the  successful  manage- 
ment of  the  church-school.  And  recognition  of  such  min- 
isterial responsibility  is  a  striking  characteristic  of  prac- 
tical religious  thinking  of  to-day.  We  shall  now  be  helped 
in  seeing  how  this  principle  is  being  applied  and  in  noting 
some  of  its  effects. 

The  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Lynn,  Mass.,  the 
Rev.  Tillman  B.  Johnson,  nobly  writes :  "The  pastor's  in- 
terest determines  the  attitude  of  many.  I  have  served  this 
church  for  ten  years,  and  when  /  awoke  five  years  ago 
our  school  increased  more  than  one  hundred  within  the 
year."     Of  course !     When  the  "head"  wakes  up,  will  not 

*  The  Church  School  and  Normal  Guide,  p.  103. 
'St.  Matt  20:28. 

348 


RELATION  OF  PASTOR  TO  SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

the  hands  and  the  feet  ?  What  shall  we  then  say  of  work 
that  flags? 

In  the  Park  Church,  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  both  ministers  de- 
vote full  half  of  their  time  to  that  department  of  the 
church,  the  Sunday-school,  which,  ''like  the  Empire  Ex- 
press, has  the  right  of  way."  They  find  the  fruits  of 
their  labors  in  the  increased  growth  and  life  of  the  church. 
Indeed,  this  school  with  its  record  of  inspiring  results  is 
an  object  lesson  to  the  Christian  world  of  the  value  of 
such  consecrated  toil.  Note  further  the  plans  of  this 
church.  The  first  Sunday  of  each  month  is  Children's 
Sunday,  and  is  devoted  exclusively  to  the  Sunday-school. 
The  sermon  is  to  the  children.  It  is  the  immovable  feast. 
Nothing  has  interfered  with  it  for  thirty  years.  One  of 
the  pastors.  Rev.  S.  E.  Eastman,  conducts  the  Friday 
evening  teachers'  meeting  for  normal  work,  and  says :  'T 
would  much  rather  fail  to  be  present  in  the  pulpit  than 
here.  In  my  judgment,  the  former  failure  would  be  of 
slight  importance  compared  with  the  latter." 

The  names  of  other  pastors  who  have  realized  surpris- 
ing results  through  the  devotion  of  time  and  energy  to 
the  work  of  the  Bible-schools  are  omitted  for  want  of 
space.  We  could  mention  school  after  school  in  country, 
village  and  city  where,  through  the  larger  devotion  of 
workers  and  improved  methods,  the  record  of  increase  in 
attendance  and  interest  and  the  additions  to  churches  from 
the  membership  of  schools  reads  like  a  romance.  The 
churches  as  a  whole,  too,  have  been  quickened;  and  in  a 
true  sense  and  in  the  best  sense  are  experiencing  a  con- 
stant revival ! 

4.  Studying  the  plans  of  successful  pastors,  we  note 
that  the  Rev.  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  D.D.,  of  the  Church  of 
the  Holy  Trinity,  Philadelphia,  superintends  his  school 
himself,  and  keeps  in  very  close  touch  with  the  scholars 
and  teachers,  meeting  the  teachers  every  week  to  go  over 

349 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

the  lesson  for  the  following  Sunday  and  keeping  an  exact 
list  of  the  scholars  and  their  spiritual  condition — that  is, 
whether  they  are  church  members,  and  whether  they  have 
been  baptized,  etc. 

In  the  Glens  Falls  Baptist  Bible-school,  Glens  Falls, 
N.  Y.,  the  pastor  gives  a  five-minute  normal  talk  at  the 
opening  of  the  school. 

The  Rev.  Frederick  S.  Sill,  rector  of  St.  John's  Epis- 
copal Church,  Cohoes,  N.  Y.,  personally  takes  the  attend- 
ance each  Sunday,  going  from  class  to  class  ''without 
disturbing  the  teacher."  He  knows  the  scholars  by  face 
and  name.  When  a  school  has  an  efficient  secretary,  a 
pastor  may  have  the  habit  of  passing  from  class  to  class 
at  each  session  with  a  friendly  greeting  for  teachers  and 
pupils.  Any  plan  is  good  which  promotes  acquaintance 
and  cheers  by  personal  interest.  But  such  visitation  of 
classes  should  never  be  made  during  the  study  period ! 
''Without  disturbing  the  teacher"  should  be  a  watchword 
of  every  officer. 

The  advisability  of  having  parts  of  each  Sabbath  morn- 
ing's preaching  service,  or  of  stated  special  preaching  ser- 
vices, in  the  interest  of  the  Sunday-school  can  alone  be 
determined  by  each  church.  The  service  not-down- 
in-the-calendar,  in  the  interest  of  the  school,  should  also 
be  in  the  pastor's  plan.  A  sermon  by  the  pastor  of  the 
Central  Presbyterian  Church,  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  at  a  time 
of  special  interest  in  lessons  on  the  life  of  Christ  as  the 
school  was  about  closing  that  special  study  was  deeply 
impressive.  The  sermon  deepened  the  teaching  already 
given,  revealed  the  personal  interest  of  the  pastor  in  the 
progress  of  the  pupils,  brought  church  and  school  to- 
gether, and  forged  another  link  between  them. 

Whatever  the  plans  of  a  minister  or  a  church  may  be, 
care  should  be  exercised  not  to  so  much  as  hint  at  any 
line  of  demarcation  between  the  Sunday-school  and  the 

350 


RELATION   OF   PASTOR  TO   SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

"Church,"  for  the  Sunday-school  is  an  integral  part  of 
the  Christian  Church.  The  Sunday-school  is  the  Church 
in  its  union  weekly  study  of  the  Word  of  God !  Such  is 
the  thought  to  be  impressed  on  every  congregation,  and 
this  is  the  effort  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Lynn,  Mass., 
where,  too,  the  children  are  made  to  feel  and  to  say  "our 
school,"  and  where  they  are  then  taught  naturally  to  say 
"our  church."  We  observe  the  effort  of  an  increasing 
number  of  ministers  to  enlist  the  entire  church  constit- 
uency in  Bible  study,  placing  emphasis  on  the  importance 
of  the  Divine  Word  in  the  development  of  full  Christian 
characters.  In  this  work  the  Home  Department  is  a 
great  aid. 

5.  Value  of  the  Sunday-school  to  the  Church.  It  may 
be  said  of  the  Sunday-school  that  it  affords  a  larger  op- 
portunity for  enlisting  and  training  Christian  workers 
than  is  opened  by  any  other  department  of  church  work. 
The  pastor  can  secure  valued  aids  in  the  school  with 
whom  he  can  share  many  responsibilities  and  burdens  of 
parish  work.  In  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  New- 
port, R.  L,  the  Pastor's  Aid  Society  includes  members  of 
the  Sunday-school  as  well  as  older  members  of  the 
church.  Calling  lists  are  handed  to  members  of  the  school, 
to  whom  also  occasionally  other  work  is  assigned  by  a 
consecrated  and  tactful  woman  who  acts  as  secretary  of 
the  society  and  keeps  a  careful  record  of  all  the  work. 
This  saves  the  pastor  a  vast  amount  of  labor,  accomplishes 
a  needed  work,  and  is  a  means  of  training  young  people 
in  Christian  service. 

In  the  First  Presbyterian  Bible-school,  Peoria,  111., 
the  work  of  the  Home  Department  is  under  twenty  com- 
mittees, whose  work  it  is  (in  addition  to  visitation  and 
other  work  of  the  department)  to  be  responsible,  each 
committee  in  turn,  for  one  Sunday  night's  service.  Twenty 
other  committees  acting  in  connection  with  the  Sunday- 

351 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

school  proper  have  charge  of  the  Wednesday  evening 
meetings,  at  which  time  the  Sabbath-school  lesson  for 
the  following  week  is  studied. 

6.  Now,  if  any  part  of  this  work  is  to  be  done  by 
the  pastor,  actually  as  superintendent  or  quietly  as  the 
power  behind  the  throne,  he  must  have  definite  and  clear 
ideas  of  the  work  to  be  accomplished,  and  of  the  ways 
of  accomplishing  it.  How  can  we  have  such  clear  ideas  ? 
Our  theological  seminaries  have  not  equipped  ministers 
for  this  important  part  of  parish  work.  They  have  prac- 
tically ignored  the  Sunday-school.  Indeed,  the  graduates 
of  our  theological  seminaries  are  about  as  well  prepared 
to  supervise  such  parish  agencies  as  to  direct  the  opera- 
tions of  grand  trunk  railways.  But  a  short  time  ago  a 
clergyman  of  national  repute,  one  whose  pastorates  have 
been  in  large  cities,  and  a  former  occupant  of  the  most 
honored  chair  of  his  denomination,  said  to  me,  *'Tell  me 
how  to  run  my  Sunday-school.  I  know  nothing  about 
Sunday-school  work."  This  is  the  twentieth  century,  but 
that  good  minister  of  confessed  inability  is  not  an  excep- 
tion. Thus  for  years  Protestantism  has  missed  its  chance ; 
has  sown  to  the  wind,  and  is  now  reaping  the  whirlwind ; 
divine  appointments  are  neglected,  many  ''Christian"  peo- 
ple are  conscienceless  in  church  relations,  while  every- 
where are  the  great  unchurched  masses !  For  more  than 
much  of  which  we  have  to  thank  our  theological  semi- 
naries. Of  course,  this  should  be  denied.  Is  not  the 
Pope  infallible?  As  serious  as  this  matter  is,  it  yet  pre- 
sents an  amusing  Protestant  anomaly.  But  we  have  turned 
the  corner  of  a  new  century  and  are  facing  a  new  future, 
full  of  mighty  hope  and  power.  Under  the  pressure,  the 
demands  of  the  Church  must  be  met.  The  schools  that 
first  respond  will  have  the  gratitude  of  the  Christian  world 
and  stand  pre-eminent.  But  the  coming  good  things  can- 
not equip  the  burdened  pastor  of  the  present.     How  may 

352 


RELATION   OF   PASTOR  TO   SUNDAY-SCHOOL 

we  have  equipment  now  ?  Let  us  suppose  that  our  train- 
ing for  the  responsibihties  of  parish  agencies  had  been 
thorough.  Would  that  suffice  for  now?  Does  study  of 
yesterday  suffice  for  to-day?  St.  Paul  could  not  preach 
old  sermons,  neither  can  the  growing  minister.  Preach- 
ers of  to-day  realize  the  necessity  of  progressive  and  pro- 
digious study,  if  pulpit  work  is  to  be  successful  or  accept- 
able. So,  too,  if  there  is  to  be  a  successful  Sunday- 
school,  the  pastor  must  keep  informed.  Can  the  blind 
lead  the  blind?  If  the  leader  does  not  lead,  wherewithal 
will  the  followers  be?  If  we  are  to  be  faithful  shepherds 
and  bishops  of  souls,  we  need  to  know  every  detail  of 
Sunday-school  work !  We  need  to  familiarize  ourselves 
with  the  improved  methods  of  administration  that  are 
being  suggested  through  the  new  principles  of  pedagogy, 
child  study  and  scientific  research.  We  need  to  con- 
tinue earnest  students  of  methods  in  the  light  of  their 
underlying  principles.  Every  good  book  on  such  sub- 
jects must  be  our  book.  We  would  also  commend  to  pas- 
tors The  Church  Economist  ^  as  a  valuable  and  sug- 
gestive paper,  especially  devoted  to  a  study  of  methods  of 
the  various  parish  agencies. 

^Address,  31  Union  Square,  West,  New  York. 


353 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

A    PLEA    FOR    LESS    PREACHING   AND    FOR    MORE   TEACHING 

We  have  seen  that  the  Church  is  entering  a  new  epoch  of 
growth  in  power  and  influence.  In  keeping  with  this 
strenuous,  spiritual  Hfe  which  pulses  new  in  the  heart, 
and  as  the  hope  of  the  Church  to-day,  and  in  the  keeping 
with  the  command  of  Jesus :  *'Go  make  disciples  of  all 
the  nations,  .  .  .  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you,"^ — the  matter  before 
us  in  this  chapter  is  a  plea  for  one  preaching  service  and 
one  teaching  service  a  Sabbath.  We  would  not  be  under- 
stood as  depreciating  the  virtue  of  church-going.  We 
believe  that  those  persons  who  sustain  public  worship 
through  faithful  attendance  are  sustaining  that  which  is 
essential  to  Christian  character.  We  are  at  one,  then,  all 
of  us,  in  our  desires  for  the  work,  and  that  God  may  be 
glorified  thereby.  Inspired  by  such  desires,  we  make 
plea  for  one  preaching  service  and  one  teaching  service  a 
Sabbath,  and  for  three  urgent  reasons.  We  believe  that 
this  plan  conserves. 

First,  the  strength,  and  the  best  possible  placing  of  that 
strength,  and  conserves  in  all  ways  the  larger  and  better 
service,  of  the  pastor. 

Second,  the  deepening  of  the  spiritual  life,  and  the 
larger  and  better  service,  of  the  people. 

Third,  the  furthering  and  strengthening  of  every  de- 
partment of  the  Church  in  the  great  work  of  the  King- 
dom of  God. 

^  Matt.  28 :  19,  20. 
354 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

Our  study  of  the  subjects  is  in  the  order  named,  thus 
bearing  the  suggestion  that  the  work  is  the  most  impor- 
tant consideration  of  all.  At  the  same  time,  we  cannot 
forget  that  the  work  in  no  little  measure  rests  with  pastor 
and  people.  Therefore,  whatever  conserves  their  inter- 
ests conserves  the  interests  of  the  work. 

I.  We  consider,  first,  how  the  plan  of  one  preaching 
service  and  one  teaching  service  a  Sabbath  conserves  the 
strength,  and  the  best  possible  placing  of  that  strength, 
and  conserves  in  all  ways  the  larger  and  better  service,  of 
the  pastor. 

With  the  paramount  claim  of  the  Bible-school  upon  the 
time,  thought,  and  strength  of  a  minister,  how  is  it  possi- 
ble for  a  pastor  to  meet  that  claim  if  pulpit  work  is  to 
continue  to  appropriate  such  a  large  part  of  his  time? 
Indeed,  the  surprise  is  that  a  minister  can  find  time  to 
prepare  one  sermon  a  week,  Ian  Maclaren  has  given  an 
outline  of  a  minister's  average  weekly  experience,  show- 
ing how  from  Monday  morning  through  all  the  days  of 
the  week  on  into  Saturday  varied,  appealing  and  com- 
manding interests  practically  absorb  all  of  a  minister's 
time,  leaving  him  not  without  a  fight  any  time  whatever 
for  study  and  preparation  of  sermons.  In  speaking  of 
these  various  demands  on  a  minister's  time.  Dr.  Watson 
further  says,  ''So  far  as  I  know,  these  details  are  not 
exaggerated."^  Notwithstanding  the  multitudinous  de- 
mands upon  a  minister's  time,  churches  are  exacting 
(and  they  have  the  right  to  be  exacting)  in  their  high 
requirements  of  pulpit  services.  If  a  preacher,  there- 
fore, is  to  be  fresh  and  helpful  always,  a  growing 
preacher,  think  of  the  thousand  and  one  books — and  a 
few  more — that  a  minister  must  constantly  be  reading. 
He  must  know  the  times  in  which  he  lives,  the  advances 

*  "The  Cure  of  Souls,"  Lyman  Beecher  Lectures  on  Preaching 
at  Yale  University,  p.  228. 

355 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

in  the  various  departments  of  thinking,  and  above  all 
must  know  the  new  light  which  is  constantly  streaming 
in  upon  the  Scriptures  through  archaeology,  literary  and 
linguistic  studies.  To  this  one  department  of  thought 
alone  large  study  must  be  given.  In  addition  to  all  this, 
Rev.  Henry  Van  Dyke,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  urges  that  ministers 
should  have  intimate  acquaintance  with  popular  litera- 
ture— ''literature  in  the  broader  sense  as  it  appeals  to  cul- 
tivated and  intelligent  people  in  general,  including  con- 
temporary history  and  criticism,  poetry  and  fiction,  popu- 
lar philosophy  and  diluted  science.  This  kind  of  litera- 
ture is  the  efflorescence  of  the  Zeitgeist.  .  .  .  The 
preacher  who  does  not  know  what  his  people  are  reading 
does  not  know  his  people."^ 

But  is  it  enough  that  a  minister  should  read  and  study? 
Time  is  also  required  for  meditation  and  assimilation. 
Rev.  Charles  Edward  Jefferson,  D.D.,  says :  'Tt  is  a 
popular  notion  that  the  preacher's  hardest  work  is  the 
writing  of  his  sermons.  His  most  arduous  labor  is  pre- 
paring, not  his  sermons,  but  himself.  Any  one  can  write 
down  a  sermon  after  he  has  the  sermon  in  him ;  but  to  get 
one's  soul  into  that  mood  in  which  sermons  blossom,  to 
lift  one's  self  to  those  high  altitudes  at  which  the  Word  of 
God  is  audible,  ah,  there's  the  rub !  What  study !  What 
meditation!  What  prayer!  A  sermon  is  not  a  thing 
that  can  be  dashed  off  at  any  moment  and  without  heart- 
strain.  A  sermon  grows.  Growth  requires  time.  A  ser- 
mon eats  up  the  life-blood  of  a  man.  To  keep  the  foun- 
tains of  his  life  from  running  dry  is  the  minister's  most 
critical  problem.  He  must  be  an  indefatigable  worker. 
Intellectual  treasures  from  every  quarter  must  be  swept 
into  his  mind  by  reading,  wide  and  constant.  He  must  be 
a  student.     He  must  dig  deep  in  the  mines  of  thought, 

^  "The  Gospel  for  an  Age  of  Doubt,"  The  Yale  Lectures  on 
Preaching,  pp.  4,  5. 

356 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

and  wrestle  with  the  problems  which  distress  the  age 
and  the  ages.  He  must  meditate.  He  must  have  time 
to  keep  still  that  great  thoughts  may  take  shape  in  him, 
that  opinions  may  crystallize  into  convictions,  and  that 
dim  truths  may  become  clear.  He  must  pray.  He  must 
continue  long  in  prayer."^ 

In  addition  to  all  this,  the  many  parish  duties  draw  on 
a  minister's  strength  and  time;  and  some  experiences 
cut  to  the  deep  of  the  very  soul  of  the  man.  Families  who 
mourn  by  the  new-made  grave  know  the  meaning  of 
poignant  grief.  But  such  experiences  come  often  in  a 
clergyman's  life.  True,  he  may  not  feel  the  grief  as 
deeply  as  does  the  family  (if  calloused  he  may  not  feel  it 
at  all ;  it  were  better  then  that  he  were  anything  other  than 
a  minister),  but  usually  he  feels  deeply  and  suffers  much 
both  because  of  the  experience  itself  and  because  of  his 
feeling  sympathy  for  those  whom  fain  he  would  comfort. 

There,  too,  are  other  experiences  that  draw  upon  a  pas- 
tor's strength.  Who  knows  the  almost  constant  cost 
upon  his  sympathies?  (all  of  which  are  gladly  given). 
How  many  holy  secrets  a  pastor  holds!  Then,  too,  his 
work,  his  hope,  his  prayer,  for  the  spiritual  and  every 
welfare  of  the  people  of  his  care — all  draw  upon  his 
every  power,  and  upon  life  itself,  quickening  the  feeling  of 
insufficiency,  and  making  imperative  time  for  communion 
and  prayer. 

Yet,  study,  sermons,  and  parish  work  are  not  all  that 
tax  a  minister's  strength.  The  harassing  annoyances  of 
work  neglected  and  left  undone,  of  lukewarm  and  mor- 
bidly sensitive  people,  the  vulgar  "feuds"  of  workers  and 
families,  and  the  hypocritical  and  hypercritical  classes 
that  one  meets  with  in  the  average  parish  is,  all  of  it, 
disheartening  and  depressing. 

Do  we  not  see  that  there  is  need  of  readjustment  of  a 

*  Quiet  Talks  With  Earnest  People,  pp.  55,  56. 

357 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

minister's  work  that  his  strength  in  some  measure  may  be 
conserved  ?  What  plan  is  so  suited  to  this  end  as  that  of 
one  preaching  and  one  teaching  service  on  the  Lord's 
Day?  How,  too,  otherwise  can  a  pastor  devote  such 
strength  and  time  to  the  Bible-school  as  that  work  has  the 
right  to  require  at  his  hands?  The  work  of  the  Bible- 
school  will  go  undone,  or  go  on  in  old  ruts  that  for  long 
have  rendered  it  practically  valueless,  unless  church  work 
is  so  readjusted  as  to  make  it  possible  for  a  pastor  to  give 
such  time,  thought  and  strength  to  this  work  as  shall  be 
commensurate  with  its  divine  and  paramount  claims. 

Some  one  may  answer  by  quoting  that  clergyman  who 
is  reported  to  have  said  recently  that  one  who  cannot 
prepare  two  sermons  a  week,  in  addition  to  other  duties, 
better  stay  out  of  the  ministry.  That  preacher  may  be 
right  in  his  opinion,  but  we  question  even  his  ability  to 
reach  such  high  standard.  One  may  go  through  the  form 
of  preaching,  select  a  text  and  talk  '"finely"  for  half  an 
hour.  But  is  it  a  sermon?  Does  it  take  hold  upon  the 
hearts  and  consciences  of  people?  Does  it  persuade  them 
to  decision  and  action?  It  has  been  said,  and  we  be- 
lieve truly  said,  that  ''The  general  standard  of  'pulpit  elo- 
quence' was  never  before  so  high  as  now,  and  the  minis- 
ters are  breaking  down  in  their  prime,  and  needing 
months  of  rest  in  every  year,  in  their  intense  struggle  to 
keep  up  with  the  intellectual  movement  of  the  time,  while 
multiplying  themselves  as  no  minister  of  past  genera- 
tions even  dreamed  of  doing,  in  parish  ministrations  of 
every  imaginable  nature.  Here  again,  this  is  certain, 
that  the  preacher  is  killing  the  minister."^ 

Now  a  question,  how  can  pulpit  service  improve  (in 
feeding  souls  as  well  as  minds)  when  a  preacher's  ener- 
gies are  so  scattered?  The  Christian  Work  and  Evan- 
gelist in  a  recent  editorial  said :  "It  is  time  that  we  cease 

^Editorial,  The  Christian  Work  and  Evangelist,  April  ii,  1903, 
p.  521.  358 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

to  demand  the  impossible  of  our  ministers  and  give  them 
opportunity  for  the  work  to  which  they  consecrated 
themselves,  the  work  they  long  to  accomplish — the  care 
of  souls.  And  to  this  end  an  entire  remodelling  of  our 
views  of  the  function  of  the  pulpit  is  necessary.  We 
must  turn  the  kaleidoscope  and  let  the  pieces  rearrange 
themselves — not  those  composing  a  single  church  only, 
but  all  the  churches  of  a  given  denomination  or  a  given 
town.  It  is  simply  absurd,  as  Dr.  Parker  used  to  say,  to 
expect  that  'a  man  can  be  regularly  inspired  twice  every 
Sunday' ;  and  yet  inspired  he  must  be  if  in  his  preaching 
he  is  to  penetrate  beyond  the  intellectual  to  the  spiritual 
in  his  hearers.  The  Reformed  Churches  on  the  Conti- 
nent, Lutheran  and  Calvinist,  do  better  than  we  in  this 
respect.  They  never  expect  the  same  man  to  occupy  the 
same  pulpit  every  Sunday.  Who  that  has  lived  long  in 
Paris  or  Geneva  or  Berlin  does  not  know  that  he  must 
consult  the  newspaper  to  learn  which  of  four  or  five 
ministers  is  going  to  preach  in  the  church  he  generally 
attends,  or  whether,  to  hear  the  man  of  his  choice,  he 
must  not  seek  some  other  sanctuary?  What  a  golden 
time  that  was  in  Paris  in  the  seventies,  when,  going  to  the 
Chapelle  Taitbout,  one  stood  a  chance  of  hearing  the 
regular  pastor.  Senator  de  Pressense,  or  Bersier  from 
the  Church  of  the  Star,  or  Theodore  Monod  from  the 
North,  or  Roger  Hollard  or  Georges  Fisch,  each  always 
at  his  very  best;  for  the  sermon  he  was  preaching  was 
no  ephemeral  thing,  born  of  a  Saturday  morning  to 
perish  with  Sunday  noon,  but  the  product  of  weeks  of  the 
highest  spiritual  exercise,  and  to  be  repeated  in  six  or 
seven  different  churches  while  the  divine  afflatus  was  still 
upon  the  preacher's  soul.  So  preaching  it  was  a  spiritual 
message  to  the  spirits  of  a  large  circle  of  men  and 
women."^ 

^  April  II,  1903,  p.  521. 

359 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

There  are  others  who  have  declared  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  prepare  two  sermons  for  each  Sabbath.  It  was 
no  less  a  man  than  that  great  English  preacher,  the  late 
Dr.  Robert  Hall,  who,  when  some  one  asked  him,  "How 
many  discourses  do  you  think  a  minister  can  get  up  in 
a  week?"  said,  'Tf  he  is  a  deep  thinker  and  condenser, 
one;  if  he  is  an  ordinary,  average  man,  two;  if  he  is  an 
ass,  he  will  produce  half  a  dozen. "^ 

If,  then,  one  sermon  makes  such  demands  on  a  minis- 
ter, how  is  it  possible  for  him  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  two  preaching  services,  and  yet  prove  faithful  to  his 
teaching  duties,  on  which  the  coming  church  depends? — 
and  faithful,  too,  to  the  many  parish  duties  which  his 
office  requires? 

One  sermon  a  Sunday  would  conserve  the  strength  of 
a  minister,  sparing  him  the  time  and  energy  of  both  prep- 
aration and  delivery  of  a  second  sermon  (if  sermon  it  can 
be  called),  and  enabling  him  to  place  that  time  and  re- 
serve power  in  the  needed  work  of  the  Bible-school. 
With  the  larger  inspiration  that  would  come  to  him 
through  larger  results  in  his  work,  the  concentration  of 
energy  and  time,  a  better  physical  strength  and  spiritual 
vigor,  we  could  expect  a  larger  and  better  service  through 
all  his  holy  ministry. 

II.  We  may  now  consider  how  the  plan  of  one  preach- 
ing service  and  one  teaching  service  a  Sabbath  conserves 
the  deepening  of  the  spiritual  life,  and  the  larger  and 
better  service,  of  the  people. 

Consider,  first,  the  interests  of  those  faithful  workers 
whose  work  it  is  that  sustains  and  makes  possible  the 
Bible-school,  and  other  departments  of  church  work, 
who,  in  their  zeal  for  the  Kingdom,  further  sacrifice 
time,  strength,  and  home  life  for  the  sake  of  sustaining 
a  second  preaching  service.    Now,  it  is  the  Church's  duty 

^  Successful  Preachers,  Davies,  p.  447. 

360  .^ 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

to  conserve  and  protect  the  health,  strength  and  home 
hfe  of  these  consecrated  workers  on  whose  work  such 
mighty  issues  depend,  as  truly  as  it  is  the  Church's  duty 
to  meet  their  needs  spiritually.  It  is  a  time  and  physical 
impossibility  for  Christian  workers  to  attend  two  preach- 
ing services,  do  their  duty  to  the  Bible-school,  and  at  the 
same  time  be  true  to  themselves  and  to  their  homes ! 
With  three  services  a  Sunday,  how  is  true  family  life 
possible?  It  is  sheer  folly  to  preach  family  worship,  the 
quiet  hour,  personal  communion,  nurture  of  one's  own, 
fellowship  of  home,  and  then  make  Church  requirements 
such  as  to  preclude  those  holy  privileges  and  duties  on 
the  Lord's  Day,  which  is  the  day  of  all  days  when  there 
should  be  regard  for  such  sacred  interests.  If  not  then, 
when  ?  With  the  burdens  of  the  week,  in  business,  in  the 
home,  in  the  school,  and  with  the  varied  social  and  multi- 
tudinous duties  that  come  to  all,  there  is  only  too  little 
time  for  home  life,  social  intercourse,  family  fellowship, 
worship  and  prayer.  The  home  life  requires  to  be  con- 
served, and  the  Church  should  plan  to  conserve  its  every 
interest,  and  foster  its  growing  Christian  life.  Is  it  con- 
sistent, therefore,  to  ask  people  to  attend  two  preaching 
services  and  the  Bible-school?  also  expect  them  to  do 
personal  woik,  and  such  visitation  as  is  a  part  of  our  pure 
and  imdefiled  religion?  Two  services  of  whatever  sort 
are  sufficient  to  attend  on  the  Sabbath.  The  rest  of  the 
day  should  be  spent  with  one's  family,  in  ways  of  refresh- 
ment for  one's  self,  and,  if  possible,  in  errands  of  mercy 
and  in  taking  the  Gospel  to  the  needy.  The  plan  of  one 
preaching  service  and  one  teaching  service  a  Sabbath, 
therefore,  is  in  the  interest  of  our  consecrated  workers — 
in  that  it  conserves  their  health,  their  strength,  their 
work  in  the  Bible-school,  personal  evangelism,  the  sacred 
interests  of  their  homes,  and  the  deepening  of  their 
spiritual  life. 

361 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

The  plan  before  us  is  of  further  value  in  its  message 
to  those  church  people  who  specially  delight  themselves 
in,  and  insist  upon,  the  second  preaching  service.  Who 
are  these  church  religionists?  Persons  for  the  most 
part  of  goodly  feelings,  exemplary  living,  and  generous 
impulses,  but  persons  who  lift  not  so  much  as  one  hand 
to  help  the  Bible-school,  and  who  are  at  ease  through  un- 
loading responsibility  of  such  work,  and  of  personal  spir- 
itual work  and  visitation,  by  attending  two  preaching  ser- 
vices on  the  Sabbath.  A  comfortable  way,  verily,  of 
meeting  responsibility !  What  pitiful  delusion !  We  rec- 
ognize the  need  and  urgency  of  public  worship.  But 
public  worship  is  not  the  end  but  the  beginning  of  Chris- 
tian obligation.  If  a  blessing  has  been  received  through 
one  preaching  service  it  is  far  nobler  to  pass  that  bless- 
ing on  through  visiting  some  "shut  in,"  or  prodigal,  or 
young  person  whose  character  is  only  now  taking  form 
— it  is  far  nobler  to  "go  teach"  and  to  further  the  Chris- 
tian atmosphere  of  one's  home  than  to  evade  these  obli- 
gations through  "sitting  down"  to  hear  the  Gospel  in  a 
second  sermon,  which  usually  dispels  the  first.  Wherein 
can  we  lay  the  knife  to  this  sore  of  so  many  Christian 
lives?  I  believe  that  one  of  the  first  things  to  do  is  to 
change  the  popular  standard  of  a  successful  church  and  a 
fruitful  Christian  life.  George  Frank  Nason,  in  speak- 
ing of  these  standards,  has  truly  said,  "The  innate  selfish- 
ness of  these  standards  is  evident.  The  church  that 
maintains  regular  services,  pays  its  debts,  and  possibly 
gives  a  small  sum  to  missionary  purposes,  is  considered 
to  be  a  successful  church,  especially  if  the  services  are 
well  attended.  The  member  who  attends  the  services, 
pays  his  part  of  the  expenses  and  lives  a  moral  life,  is 
called  'a  consistent  Christian' !  How  shall  the  Church 
be  wakened  to  the  fact  that  it  is  not  the  field  upon  which 
ministers  and  officials  are  to  spend  time  and  prayer  and 

362 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

effort,  but  the  force  in  God's  hands  and  under  the  leader- 
ship of  ministers  and  officials  to  take  this  world  for 
Christ?  The  failure  of  the  Church  to  reach  the  masses 
is  one  of  the  direct  results  of  the  dependence  upon  the 
pulpit  rather  than  upon  Christian  men  and  women  to 
'preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.'  .  .  .  The  Great 
Commission  does  not  read,  'Come  ye  out  from  all  the 
world  and  hear  the  Gospel'  We  transcend  the  plans  of 
the  Great  Leader  when  we  expect  men  and  women  abso- 
lutely dead  to  things  religious  to  come  to  the  Church  to 
be  awakened  from  their  indifference.  Many  of  the  people 
who  are  not  now  reached  by  the  Church  are  hardened  in 
sin  and  hate  righteousness,  but  more  are  simply  indiffer- 
ent to  the  Church  and  its  teachings.  Personal  work  and 
influence  will  accomplish  that  which  can  never  be  done  by 
the  pulpit  or  the  public  platform.  These  people  are  our 
neighbors  and  our  neighbors'  children,  and  they  will  die 
without  God  and  without  hope  in  the  world  unless  Chris- 
tian men  and  women  obey  the  command  to  go  out  into  the 
highways  and  hedges  and  compel  them  to  come  in."^ 

Who  can  conceive  of  the  spiritual  effect  of  all,  or  a 
large  part,  of  church  people  being  enlisted  in  such  per- 
sonal work?  One  preaching  service  and  one  teaching 
service  will  give  church  people  both  the  time  and  oppor- 
tunity for  such  work ;  and  this  plan  further  must  impress 
upon  their  minds  and  consciences  that  the  Church  is  not 
here  for  its  own  sake,  but  as  "the  force  in  God's  hands" 
to  take  the  world  for  Christ.  The  plan,  therefore,  re- 
sults in  a  clearer  conception  of  Christian  duty  and  of  the 
mission  of  the  Christian  church,  leads  the  people  into  a 
nobler,  better  and  more  efficient  service,  and  into  larger 
experiences  of  deepenings  of  grace. 

It  is  required  further  to  be  said  that  no  people  can 
digest  two  sermons  a  Sunday.     Indeed,  as  Charles  M. 

^  The  Christian  Work  and  Evangelist,  p.  114,  January  17,  1903, 

2>^Z 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

Sheldon,  author  of  In  His  Steps,  has  said :  ''They  can- 
not digest  even  one."  We  do  not  refer  to  sermons  "in 
which  are  some  things  hard  to  be  understood,"  but  we 
refer  to  sermons  that  speak  both  to  the  heart  and  to  the 
understanding.  The  greater  the  sermon,  the  simpler  its 
form.  A  preacher  requires  time  for  meditation,  for  think- 
ing things  through,  for  seeing  truth  in  its  several  rela- 
tions; and  a  people  no  less  require  time  for  reflection  if 
they  are  to  make  the  truths  of  a  service  their  own !  And 
the  great  purpose  of  preaching  fails  unless  the  truth 
preached  becomes  incarnate— unless  hearers  become  epis- 
tles, "Known  and  read  of  all  men."  Those  who  insist  on 
two  sermons  a  Sunday  are  either  following  a  mistaken 
standard  of  Christian  living  or  are  too  indolent  to  do  their 
own  essential  thinking. 

Therefore,  another  vital  consideration  in  the  interests 
of  the  people  is  that  the  plan  of  one  preaching  service  and 
one  teaching  service  drives  home  the  responsibility  of  the 
people  doing  more  Bible  reading  and  religious  thinking 
for  themselves.  Results  take  care  of  themselves.  The 
Word  shall  not  return  void.^  In  all  ways,  therefore,  the 
spiritual,  physical,  intellectual,  home,  church,  and  all  in- 
terests of  the  people  are  advanced  through  the  plan  of 
one  preaching  and  one  teaching  service  a  Sabbath. 

III.  But  what  would  be  the  effect  of  this  plan  upon 
the  work?  This  is  the  all-important  consideration.  We 
meet  the  crucial  question  in  the  confidence  and  convic- 
tion that  the  plan  of  one  preaching  service  and  one  teach- 
ing service  a  Sabbath  would  conserve  the  furthering  and 
strengthening  of  every  department  of  the  Church  in  the 
great  work  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  What  are  some  of 
the  reasons  for  believing  this  true?  First,  the  large  and 
splendid  spiritual  results  in  those  churches  which  place 
proportionate  emphasis  on  the  teaching,  as  well  as  the 

^Isaiah   55  :  ii. 

364 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

preaching,  function  of  the  Church.  The  churches  that 
are  growing  numerically  and  spiritually,  that  are  gain- 
ing older  people  and  children,  and  that  in  a  few  years  will 
vastly  outnumber  the  membership  of  their  neighboring 
churches  because  of  natural  growth  out  of  larger  and 
up-to-date  Bible-schools,  are  the  churches  which  recog- 
nize that  the  claim  of  teaching  is  paramount  with  the 
claim  of  preaching.  Teaching  as  well  as  preaching  has 
been  divinely  ordained  for  proclaiming  the  Gospel,  and 
only  those  who  are  true  to  both  these  sacred  trusts  are 
truly  blessed. 

A  further  reason  for  urging  fidelity  to  teaching  duty  is 
that  it  holds  us  to  the  supreme  purpose  of  our  work.  Has 
there  not  been  a  tendency,  and  that  too  on  the  part  of 
devout  people,  though  perhaps  unwittingly,  to  measure 
the  success  of  church  work  by  the  number  of  people  that 
attend  the  preaching  services  of  worship?  If  a  preacher 
can  draw  large  audiences,  both  night  and  morning,  he  is 
pronounced  a  success !  But  is  he  ?  Some  several  years 
ago,  two  comparatively  young  men  were  called  respect- 
ively to  the  pastorates  of  two  comparatively  prominent 

churches  in  the  great  Eastern  city  of  .     Having 

been  in  their  new  work  some  several  months,  one  asked 
the  other,  ''How  many  people  do  you  preach  to  Sunday 
nights?"  The  friend  replied,  "About  two  hundred  and 
fifty."  "Well,"  said  the  first  speaker,  'T  preach  to  a 
packed  house  every  night.  Drop  into  my  study  sometime, 
and  I  will  show  you  how  I  do  it."  In  the  course  of  time, 
the  minister  of  the  small  evening  audience  came  to  the 
study  of  the  other,  who  showed  him  his  evening  sermon 
subjects,  all  of  which  were  highly  sensational,  as  for  the 
most  part  were  the  sermons.  Both  ministers  continued 
their  respective  works,  each  in  his  own  way.  Two  years 
ago  these  two  men  observed  their  tenth  anniversaries  as 
pastors  of  their  respective  churches.    How  did  their  work 

365 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

compare  then?  The  church  of  the  minister  whose  pur- 
pose was  the  crozvd,  and  whose  method  was  sensational, 
gave  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  pastorate  just  $20  to  Foreign 
Missions,  and  to  other  church  Boards  in  proportion.  The 
church  of  the  minister  who  thought  not  of  appearances 
but  of  results,  and  whose  evening  audiences  were  almost 
always  small,  was  in  the  tenth  year  of  his  pastorate  sus- 
taining five  missionaries  on  the  Foreign  Field,  and  giving 
proportionately  to  church  Boards  at  home !  Look  where 
we  will,  the  churches  that  are  being  blessed  are  those 
whose  supreme  purpose  is  thorough  spiritual  work  for 
the  glory  of  God. 

We  may  anticipate  a  criticism.  We  do  not  speak  as 
one  who  has  found  the  Sunday-evening  service  a  prob- 
lem, speaking  in  the  general  understanding  of  that  term. 
But  results,  in  our  judgment,  are  not  commensurate 
with  cost.  Are  the  results  of  the  second  preaching  ser- 
vice anywhere  commensurate  with  the  cost  of  that  ser- 
vice?— the  cost  to  pastor  and  consecrated  workers  of 
strength  and  blood ;  the  cost  of  the  spiritual  life  of  other 
members  to  whom  the  second  service  comes  as  an  opiate, 
deadening  conscious  responsibility  for  personal  service; 
the  cost  of  the  best  life  of  the  home,  and  the  cost  of  the 
neglect  of  the  foundation  work  of  the  church,  namely, 
the  Christian  nurture  of  children  and  the  teaching  of  the 
Word  of  God  in  the  Church-school ! 

We  believe  that  even  those  churches  whose  second 
preaching  service  is  largely  attended  on  the  Sabbath  would 
do  far  more  for  the  Kingdom  of  God  by  a  proportionate 
placing  of  energy  in  the  work  of  the  Bible-school.  It  may 
be  more  spectacular  to  have  a  "crowd,"  but  when  we  learn 
that  again  it  is  a  matter  of  'loaves  and  fishes,"  of  a  "holy 
show,"  the  glamour  of  the  thing  is  gone.  Even  at  its  best, 
we  do  not  believe  that  the  second  preaching  service  is  other 
than  disastrous  in  its  effects,  and  especially  depleting  to 

366 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

the  work  of  the  Bible-school.     It  has  been  remarked  of  a 

once  noted  preacher  in  the  city  of ,  who  had  power 

to  draw  a  crowd,  that  they  failed  to  sustain  his  work, 
that  he  was  constantly  appealing  for  outside  aid  instead 

of  giving  it,   and    that    when    he    left  ,  he  left 

through  his  own  hands  two  less  churches  of  his  denom- 
ination than  when  he  went  to  that  city.  It  is  suggestive, 
too,  that  the  Sunday-evening  Men's  Club  movement  has 
waned.  Some  of  the  very  leaders  of  that  work  have 
abandoned  it.  And,  too,  some  leaders  of  so-called 
''People's  Churches,"  who  talked  much  about  their  large 
audiences  have  returned  to  more  conservative  ways, 
having  sought  other  fields,  and  some  of  their  churches 
are  not  left  with  so  much  as  one  stone  upon  another !  In 
proportion  as  churches  have  multiplied  Sunday  services 
those  churches  have  been  weakened.  In  proportion  as 
churches  have  magnified  their  teaching  function  equally 
with  their  preaching  function,  they  have  been  blessed, 
have  advanced  and  waxed  strong.  There  is  a  limit  to 
human  strength ;  people  are  worn  out  by  incessant  de- 
mands upon  it.  We  need  to  conserve  and  concentrate 
both  time  and  strength,  that  we  may  make  the  utmost 
possible  out  of  them. 

Rev.  Robert  F.  Coyle,  D.D.,  Moderator  of  the  recent 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,^  has  said : 
"This  modern  tendency  to  multiply  Sunday  services  is 
weakening  the  Church.  I  remember  the  wail  that  the 
abolition  of  the  Sunday  afternoon  preaching  services  was 
a-slipping  back.  The  truth  is  that  it  was  an  advance. 
Many  earnest  people  are  worn  out  on  Sundays  by  inces- 
sant demands  upon  their  time.  What  is  needed  at  the 
moment  is  an  improvement  in  quality  of  Sunday  work, 
especially  of  meetings,  and  a  decrease  in  the  quantity  of 
them.  I  think  a  great  improvement  could  be  had  by  such 
^At  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  May,  1903. 
367 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

an  arrangement  of  time  as  this :  In  the  morning  at  eleven 
o'clock  have  a  preaching  service,  into  which  the  pastor 
puts  his  very  best  spirit.  Expect  everybody  to  be  present. 
In  the  afternoon  have  a  Bible-school,  probably  at  three 
o'clock.  Have  for  leader  of  it  the  best  man  who  can  be 
found,  either  volunteer  or  for  hire.  He  may  or  may  not 
be  the  pastor,  preferably  not.  People  know  far  too  little 
of  the  Bible.  They  should  be  shown  how  to  go  to  the 
book  for  strength  to  meet  daily  trials.  In  the  evening,  if 
anything  be  had  at  all,  let  the  young  people  come  to  the 
front.  The  Church  is  more  and  more  using  'young- 
people'  effort.  Give  it  Sunday  evening.  Let  there  be  a 
practice  school  for  what  has  been  learned  from  the  pas- 
tor in  the  morning  and  from  the  Bible  in  the  afternoon. 
People  already  know  more  than  they  put  into  effect.  It 
is  not  more  preaching  they  need,  but  more  practice."^ 

Similar  words  have  come  to  me  personally  from  some 
of  the  most  eminent  and  experienced  preachers  and  edu- 
cators of  our  country.  In  speaking  of  the  plan  of  one 
preaching  and  one  teaching  service,  their  words  have 
been  such  as  these :  'Tt  is  essential  and  indispensable. 
The  Sunday-school  will  never  be  what  it  should  be;  it 
cannot  be  what  it  should  be,  unless  one  preaching  ser- 
vice is  given  up  in  its  favor.  It  has  been  my  judgment 
for  many  years  that  no  reform  is  so  urgently  needed  as 
this."  Another  writes :  'Tt  has  long  been  a  pet  idea  of 
mine,  one  preaching  service  and  one  teaching  service.  .  .  . 
The  general  adoption  of  such  a  plan  is  only  a  matter  of 
time."  Such  is  the  growing  conviction,  only  waiting  to 
be  crystallized  into  concerted  action. 

The  urgency  of  this  plea  is  further  seen  in  that  Chris- 
tian workers  represent  a  mere  fraction  of  the  member- 
ship of  churches.  This  is  explained,  we  believe,  by  two 
reasons — and  here  we  touch  the  nerve  of  the  flagging 

^The  Church  Economist,  December,  1901,  pp.  399,  400. 

368 


LESS    PREACHING    AND    MORE    TEACHING 

church.  The  first  reason  is  that  a  large  portion  of  the 
church  membership  have  no  time  other  than  Sabbath  for 
such  work ;  and  the  second  reason  is  that  they  were  not  so 
taught  in  youth  of  church  and  rehgious  obHgations  as  to 
continue  to  feel  their  commanding  claims.  Now,  with  one 
preaching  service,  people  would  have  time  for  personal 
work  and  study.  But  would  such  results  follow?  Large 
results  have  been  realized  already  through  progressive 
Bible-schools.  With  more  favorable  conditions,  is  it  not 
reasonable  to  believe  that  yet  larger  numbers  would  be 
enlisted  in  Bible-study  and  personal  work?  We  know 
the  proverb  about  the  difficulty  of  teaching  a  certain 
animal  new  ways.  Our  thought  in  large  part  must  be  for 
the  church  of  to-morrow !  We  must  look  to  the  children, 
as  did  Jesus,  for  the  church  of  the  future ;  we  must  look 
ahead,  as  did  the  Jesuits  and  others  when  they  sought  to 
arrest  the  Protestant  Reformation  through  training,  and 
thus  securing,  the  coming  generations.  Stern  facts  are 
before  us.  Unless  we  are  faithful  to  the  children  and 
train  them  into  Bible  Christians,  our  churches  will  be 
swept,  as  were  the  synagogues  of  Palestine,  from  the 
sight  of  man.  But  the  Christian  nurture  of  youth  is  a 
work  that  makes  large  demands  upon  the  time,  the  labor, 
the  strength,  the  patience,  the  wisdom,  the  study,  the 
thought,  the  plan,  and  the  powers  of  the  Church — of  both 
ministers  and  people.  How  the  scope  of  Bible-school 
work  broadens !  It  is  vastly  more  than  to  impart  knowl- 
edge; it  is  also  for  the  creation  and  formation  of  holy 
character,  to  bring  lives  into  living  union  with  the  Christ 
of  God.  With  all  this  upon  the  heart  and  mind  of  the 
Church,  our  task  appears  in  its  magnitude !  and,  also,  be 
it  said,  in  the  infinitude  of  its  glorious  and  divine  possi- 
bilities !  Can  we  meet  these  sacred  obligations  and  oppor- 
tunities and  yet  retain  the  second  preaching  service? 
Our  plea,  therefore,  is  not  for  less  of  the  Gospel,  but 

369 


MODERN  METHODS  IN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 

for  more  of  it ;  for  a  more  sane,  scientific  and  Biblical  way 
of  presenting  it,  that  we  may  save  and  hold  our  youth, 
and  ALL  for  Christ — not  lose  them  to  themselves,  to  the 
Church,  and  to  God. 

If  one  ask,  "What  would  you  put  in  the  place  of  the 
second  preaching  service?"  we  would  say,  this  problem 
will  solve  itself.  We  have  seen  that  doing  away  with  that 
service  conserves  home  life,  family  prayer,  personal  work, 
Bible-study,  and  in  all  ways  the  interests  of  the  pastor, 
the  people  and  the  work.  We  question  the  wisdom  of 
putting  any  service  in  the  place  of  it,  but  a  young  people's 
or  church  prayer-meeting  might  serve  in  some  instances 
a  local  need. 

Even  where  there  is  a  plural  pastorate,  we  would  yet 
urge  one  preaching  service  and  one  teaching  service. 
Let  larger  time  and  energy  be  put  into  this  latter  service 
— it  has  suffered  for  the  want  of  it  long  enough — and 
results  will  be  commensurate.  If  any  cannot  come  to  the 
usual  preaching  service  by  reason  of  employment  or 
family  adjustments,  invite  them  to  the  Bible-school. 
They  will  find  Jesus  at  the  feast,  and  precious  to  their 
souls. 


370 


INDEX 


Aird,  Mr.   Henry,  288. 

Ailing   Class,   78. 

American  Institute  of  Sacred  Lit- 
erature,   6,    66,    304. 

Andem,    Mr.    W.    K.,    288. 

Ashland  Avenue  Baptist  Bible- 
school,    Toledo,    O.,    250,    289. 

Ayer,  Mr.   F.  W.,  153- 

Baptist  Temple  Bible-school,  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  so,  51,  98,  108,  126, 
172,    188,    196,   218,   266,    269. 

Baraca  Bible  Class,  76,  tj;  Baraca 
Bible  Class,  Baptist  Temple, 
Brooklyn,    N.    Y.,    68,    76. 

Barker,    Miss   Grace,    126. 

Beecher,    Rev.   Willis  J.,    D.D.,   67. 

Belleville  Congregational  Church, 
Newburyport,     Mass.,    207. 

Bethany  Sunday-school,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  104,  130,  156,  178,  199, 
201,    z2-7-Z2%. 

Bethel  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
East  Orange,  N.  J.,  197,  220, 
239,    241,    338. 

Bethlehem  Sunday-school,  Ann  Ar- 
bor, Mich.,   61,  62,  239. 

Bible  Study  Publishing  Company, 
66. 

Birthday   Chart,  215. 

Birthday  box,   53. 

Eostvvick,   Mr.   H.    E.,   315. 

Brick  Church  Sunday-school,  Roch- 
ester, N.   Y.,   173,   175,   197. 

Brownell  Street  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Fall  River,  Mass.,  134, 
210. 

Burton  and  Matthews,  46,  91. 

Calvary  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Erie, 
Pa.,   167. 


Calvary  Baptist  Sunday-school, 
Washington,  D.  C,  7,  133,  171, 
269,  281,  292,  339. 

Campbell,  Rev.  Frederick,  Sc.D., 
183,    186,    188,    190. 

Card,  announcement:  New  Year, 
202;  Independence  Day,  204; 
birthday,  132.  Absentees,  73, 
159;  catalogue,  176;  Cradle  Roll, 
51;  Decision  Day,  249;  dismissal, 
161;  enrolment,  49;  Go-to- 
Church  Band,  189;  greeting,  50; 
Home  Department:  application, 
265;  Bible  mark,  266;  record, 
267.  House-to-house  visitation, 
175;  invitation:  programme,  74; 
to  members  of  the  school,  63, 
328;  to  be  used  by  members,  177; 
to  scholars  for  special  service, 
194,  195;  to  strangers  for  special 
service,  196;  for  Parents'  Day, 
198;  used  in  contest,  167.  In- 
troduction, 175;  library,  229; 
Missionary  Company,  236;  "nom- 
inating cards,"  169;  recogni- 
tion of  special  offering,  218;  rec- 
ord: individual,  144;  absent,  for 
attendance  at  some  school,  132, 
133;  for  study  of  lessons,  124, 
125;  bringing  new  scholars,  169. 
Reminders,  339;  teachers',  280, 
281;  pledge,  275;  private  class 
card,  279;  suggestive  of  review 
methods,  291;  invitation  to  annual 
banquet,  292;  substitute  teachers', 
297. 

Central    Church,    Fall   River,    Mass., 

95. 
Central    Christian    Church,    Lexing- 
ton, Ky.,  87,   187,  209,  287. 


371 


INDEX 


Central  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  Fall  River,  Mass.,  97,  334. 

Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Sun- 
day-school,   Brockton,    Mass.,    170. 

Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
Galveston,  Texas,  92. 

Central  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Auburn,  N.  Y.,  67,  350. 

Central  Presbyterian  Church,  Roch- 
ester, N.   Y.,  78. 

Certificate,  Bible  reading,  108;  Bib- 
lical scholarship,  115;  Cradle  Roll, 
47;  enrolment,  26;  faithful 
study,  84,  no;  honor,  136;  mem- 
bership, 181;  memorizing,  no; 
missionary  stock,  235;  parents', 
129;  punctual  attendance,  149; 
promotion,  44,  89;  quarterly,  87; 
regular  attendance,  149;  secre- 
tary's, 1 51-152;  studies  covered, 
40;  securing  new  scholars,.  163, 
164,    165,    168. 

Christ  Church,  Norwich,  Conn., 
255- 

Christ  Congregational  Church,  New 
York,   7,    139,    169,  z-jz,   311. 

Church  of  the  Covenant,  Chicago, 
111.,    191. 

Church  of  the  Strangers,  New  York, 
120. 

Church  of  the  Messiah,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  24,  30,   123,   124,  240. 

Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Phila- 
delphia,  Pa.,   349. 

Christian  League,   218. 

Classon  Avenue  Sunday-school, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  113,  114,  117, 
122,  124,  152,  167,  192,  238,  374, 
315- 

Clark,    Rev.    Francis    E.,    D.D.,    253. 

Collingwood  Avenue  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Toledo,  O.,  76, 
24s,  334- 

Comstock,  Mr.  Anthony,  21,  221, 
222. 

Coneybear,    Mrs.    Elizabeth,    80. 

Congregational  Sunday-school,  Brat- 
tleboro,  Vt.,  92,  215,   220,  225. 

"Convention  for  Religious  Educa- 
tion," Chicago,  111.,  5,  25. 

Cortland  Presbyterian  Church,  Cort- 
land, N.  Y.,  287. 


Coyle,  Rev.  Robert  F.,  D.D.,  367- 
368. 

Covenant  Congregational  Church 
School,  Chicago,  111.,   144,   168. 

Crescent  Avenue  Presbyterian  Sun- 
day-school, Plainfield,  N.  J.,  56, 
132. 

Cressy,    Mrs.    F.    G.,    52. 

Dearborn,  Mr.   C.   S.,  158,  246. 

Denman,  Rev.  William,  D.D.,  75, 
120,    129,    255,    309. 

Dickey,  Mr.   George  A.,  207. 

Diploma,  Bible  reading,  109;  grad- 
uating, 28,  30,  41,  88;  Roll  of 
Honor,  137;  Robert  Raikes,  82, 
83. 

Doty,   Mr.   James   C,  Jr.,   294. 

Duncan,  W.  A.,  Ph.D.,  261,  262. 

Eastman,   Rev.    S.    E.,   336,   349. 

Eberhart  and  Son,   137,   139. 

Emmanuel  Church,  Newport,  R.  I., 
255- 

Evangelistic  committee  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,    250. 

Examinations,  graded,  43;  compul- 
sory quarterly,  49;  varied  meth- 
ods of,    120,   121,   122. 

Falks,  Mr.  Homer,  221. 

Fell,  Rev.   Horace   R.,   B.D.,   24. 

Ferris,    Mr.    Frank   A.,    210. 

First    Baptist    Sunday-school,    Ashe 

ville,  N.  C,  8,  97,  175,  237. 
First    Baptist    Sunday-school,    Plain^ 

field,    N.    J.,   40,    62,   89,    109. 
First    Baptist    Sunday-school,    Chel 

sea,  Mass.,  43. 
First  Baptist  Bible-school,  Haverhill 

Mass.,   89. 
First     Baptist     Sunday-school,     Indi 

anapolis,    Ind.,    89,    157,    180,    220 

243,    246. 
First    Baptist    Sunday-school,    Deca 

tur.  111.,  94,   105. 
First   Baptist    Sunday-school,   James 

town,   N.   Y.,   94,    166,    188. 
First    Baptist    Sunday-school,    Phila- 
delphia,  Pa.,   105. 


372 


INDEX 


First  Baptist  Sunday-school, 

Youngstown,    O.,    146. 
First     Baptist     Sunday-school,     Con- 
cord, N.  H.,   176,   196. 
First     Baptist     Sunday-school,     Wa- 
terloo,   la.,    194,    203,    211,    215. 
First      Baptist       Bible-school,       Ann 

Arbor,   Mich.,  243. 
First   Baptist   Church,    Lynn,   Mass., 

348,   351- 
First   Congregational    Sunday-school, 
Burlington,  Vt.,  67,   123,   125,  204. 
First   Congregational   Sunday-school, 

Colorado   Springs,    Col.,   93. 
First    Methodist    Episcopal    Sunday- 
school,  Topeka,  Kan.,  50,   152. 
First    Methodist    Episcopal    Sunday- 
school,  Decatur,  111.,  93,   106,  240, 
241. 
First   Methodist    Sunday-school,   Au- 
rora,  111.,  97. 
First        Methodist        Sunday-school, 

Boise,  Idaho,   154. 
First    Methodist    Episcopal    Sunday- 
school,    Philadelphia,    Pa.,    117. 
First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 
Newport,  R.    I.,   7,    122,    134,    157, 
186,  351. 
First       Presbyterian        Bible-school, 

Grand  Rapids,   Mich.,  26,   2.tj. 

First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Allentown,   Pa.,   60,   97,    105,   228. 

First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Salt    Lake    City,    Utah,    96,     122, 

298. 

First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Williamsport,    Pa.,    220. 
First   Presbyterian   School,    Decatur, 

111.,   288. 
First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Springfield,    O.,    333. 
First      Presbyterian     Sunday-school, 

Johnstown,  Pa.,    108,    169. 
First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Wilkesbarre,    Pa.,    no,    297. 
First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Poughkeepsie,  N.   Y.,   in,   163. 
First      Presbyterian      Sunday-school, 

Peoria,    111.,    123,   268,    351. 
First        Westminster        Presbyterian 

School,   Keokuk,   la.,    141,   308. 
Flatbush      Congregational      Sunday- 
School,  Brooklyn,   N.   Y.,   294. 


Fourteenth        Street        Presbyterian 

Church,   New   York,   210. 
Fuller,   Mr.    Thomas,    10. 
Fulton,  Mr.  W.  J.,  308. 

Glens  Falls  Baptist  Sunday-school, 
Glens   Falls,   N.   Y.,   97,   290,   350. 

Government  Street  Methodist 

Episcopal  Church,  South  Mobile, 
Ala.,   270. 

Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
Buffalo,    N.    Y.,    188. 

Grant,  Mr.   W.  Henry,  232. 

Greene  Memorial  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Sunday-school,  Roanoke,  Va., 
240,  267. 

Hall,  Rev.  Dr.  Robert,  360. 

Hammond  Street  Congregational 
Sunday-school,    Bangor,    Me.,    97. 

Hand,   Dr.  George   F.,  243. 

Honor  Roll,  attendance,  134;  at- 
tendance, offering  and  church 
attendance,  146;  for  post-grad- 
uate course,  137,  138,  139;  in 
adult  classes,  -jz;  printing  of  in 
church  paper,  etc.,  147-148;  star 
classes,  134,  135;  star  chart,  for 
attendance  and  offering,  147;  spe- 
cial for  "Hot  Weather  Spartans," 
150;  system  of  badges,  etc.,  139, 
140;    system    of    marking,    81. 

Hope  Congregational  Sunday-school, 
Springfield,  Mass.,  39. 

Hudson,   Miss  May,   80. 

Hudson,  Mr.  M.  A.,  ^6. 

Hyde  Park  Baptist  Church,  Chicago, 
111-,    52,    337- 

International  Committee  of  Y.  M. 
C.   A.,  68. 

International  Sunday-school  Asso- 
ciation in  Denver,  5 ;  executive 
committee  at  Winona  Lake,  6; 
executive  committee  at  Philadel- 
phia, 262;  seventh  convention  of, 
262. 

James  Lees  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Louisville,  Ky., 
82,    131,    170,    234,    265. 

Jefferson,  Rev.  Charles  E.,  D.D., 
253,  356. 


373 


INDEX 


Jefferson   Avenue   Methodist   Episco- 
pal   School,    Saginaw,    Mich.,    141. 
Jesuits,  on  the  training  of  children, 

17- 

Johnson,   Dr.   Herrick,    184. 
Johnson,   Rev.   Tillman   B.,  348. 
Joy,  Mr.  J.   R.,  231. 
Judson      Memorial      Sunday-school, 
New  York,    158. 

Kane,  Mr.  Thomas,  218,  219. 

Keedy,    Rev.    John    L.,    259. 

Kirk  Street  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,    Lowell,    Mass.,    171. 

Knox,  Hon.   Charles  H.,  68,   70,   71. 

Knox  Memorial  Reformed  Church, 
New  York,  68. 

Lamson,  Mr.  John  D.  R.,  289. 

Leonard,  Mr.  Edgar  C,  319. 

Letters,  birthday,  131,  311;  class, 
72;  invitation,  174,  201,  292,  293; 
to  absentees,  158;  to  Home  De- 
partment visitors,  269;  to  mem- 
bers of  Home  Department,  270; 
to  notify  teachers  of  election, 
2TS^  276;  to  parents,  103,  104, 
128,  129,  130,  131;  to  teachers, 
245,  246,  250,  251. 

Mahon,  Lord,    13. 

Market  Square  Progressive  Associa- 
tion, Presbyterian  Church,  Ger- 
mantown,   Pa.,   73. 

McKinney,  Rev.  A.  H.,  Ph.D.,  300, 
302. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school, 
Topeka,    Kan.,    254. 

Merrimac  Street  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Manchester,  N.  H.,  "jy. 

Modern  Methods  Sunday-school 
Class   Book,  336-337- 

Montgomery,  Mr.  J.  H.,   102,  243. 

Moody,  Mr.  Dwight  L.,  2,  3,  4. 

Morgan,   Rev.    G.    Campbell,    18. 

Murray,  Mr.  W.  D.,  56,  132. 

Nason,  George  Frank,  362. 

New  York  Society  for  the  Suppres- 
sion  of   Vice,    21. 

North  Church  Bible-school,  Cleve- 
land, O.,  344. 


North  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday- 
school,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  93,  96, 
144,  201,  202,  205,  228,  264,  265, 
297,  298,   314. 

North  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Cam- 
den, N.  J.,  93,  100,  143,  153,  164, 
175,   177,   194,  204,  205,  216. 

North  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.,   191. 

Nostrand  Avenue  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Sunday-school,  Brooklyn, 
N.   Y.,   141,  237,  239,   313- 

Olivet  Memorial  Sunday-school, 
New  York,  44,  75,  86,  119,  127, 
128,  129,  130,  iss,  209,  254,  280, 
309- 

Paltsits,  Mr.  Victor  Hugo,  2']2,  311, 
312. 

Palmer,   Rev.   Charles  Lott,   226. 

Park  Avenue  Baptist  Sunday-school, 
Plainfield,   N.   J.,    143,    149,    150. 

Park  Church  Sunday-school,  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  40,  84,  92,  95,  105,  109, 
130,   132,  230,  333,  336,  349- 

Parker,    Rev.    Dr.,    359. 

Patton,  Rev.  C.  H.,  D.D.,  253. 

Philathea    Class,    79. 

Pike,  Mr.  H.  H.,  71,  253,  274. 

Plymouth  Congregational  Sunday- 
school,  Toledo,  O.,  82,   121. 

Poplar  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,    Cincinnati,    O.,    166,    243. 

Porter,  Rev.  Emery  H.,  D.D.,  255, 
259- 

Presbyterian  General  Assembly,  5. 

Princeton  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,    Philadelphia,    Pa.,    iii. 

Profile  Record  for  attendance  and 
offering,    141,    212,    213. 

Prospect  Street  Presbyterian  Sun- 
day-school, Trenton,  N.  J.,  141, 
157,   170,   179,  245. 

Proudfit,  on  the  decline  of  cate- 
chetical instruction,  etc.,   12. 

Raikes,  Robert,  13;  diploma,  82,  83. 

Rayne       Memorial       Sunday-school, 

New   Orleans,    La.,    95,    171,    290, 

314- 
Read,    Mr.    J.    Clarence,    136. 


374 


INDEX 


Reports,  class  librarian,  152;  to 
scholars',  quarterly,  61;  to  par- 
ents', 131;  secretary's,  210,  335 
special  in  regard  to  church  status 
of  pupils,  192;  superintendent's 
to  teachers,  158;  teachers':  week 
ly,  154,  155;  monthly,  156,  157 
quarterly,  281,  282. 

Rhode  Island  Sunday-school  Asso 
ciation,  175. 

Rollstone  Congregational  Church 
Fitchburg,  Mass.,  295,   333. 

Rowland,    Rev.   Alfred,    186. 

Ruggles  Street  Baptist  Sunday 
school,  Boston,  Mass.,  40,  41,  50 
96,  127,  150,  226,  228,  234,  237 
278,  288,  310. 

St.  Andrew's  Presbyterian  Bible 
school,    Wilmington,    N.    C,    141 

St.  George's  Sunday-school,  New 
York,  71,  253,  274. 

St.  John's  Episcopal  Sunday-school 
Cohoes,  N.   Y.,   225,   350. 

St.  Paul's  Methodist  Episcopal  Sun 
day-school,  Lowell,  Mass.,  96,  212 
215,  216. 

Schurer,  on  purposes  of  Sabbath  as 
semblages  in  the  synagogue,  etc. 
II. 

Seal  chart,    144-146. 

Sears,  Mr.   Seth,   146,   314. 

Second  Baptist  Sunday-school,  Hol- 
yoke,  Mass.,  44,  87,  147,  212. 

Second  Collegiate  Church,  Harlem, 
N.   Y.,   96,   210. 

Second  Presbyterian  Sunday-school, 
Dubuque,  la.,  91,  115,  236. 

Second  Presbyterian  School,  Colum- 
bia, S.  C,   141. 

Shaftesbury,  Lord,  20. 

Sheldon,   Rev.   Charles  M.,  364. 

Sill,  Rev.   Frederick  S.,  350. 

Silliman  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Sunday-school,  Cohoes,  N.  Y., 
225,    278,    307. 

Simpson  Methodist  Episcopal  Sun- 
day-school,    Brooklyn,     299,     300, 

335- 
Sixth  Presbyterian  Church,  Chicago, 

111.,  103,  104,  163. 
Smith,  John  B.,  112,  113,  120. 


Spencer,  Rev.  I.  J.,   187. 

Spring  Street  Presbyterian  Church, 
New    York,    206. 

State  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  220,  329. 

Stebbins,  Mrs.  Flora  V.,  264. 

Stauffer,  Rev.  Byron  H.,  188. 

Southerton,   Rev.   W.   I.,    126. 

Sunday-school  commissions  of  Dio- 
ceses of  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church,   s. 

The  Church  Economist,   191. 

The     Religious     Education    Associa 

tion,    324. 
Third     Presbyterian     Sunday-school 

Chicago,    111.,    78. 
Thomas,  Mr.  F.  J.,  152,  242. 
Tomkins,  Rev.  Floyd  W.,  D.D.,  349 
Trinity    Evangelical    Lutheran    Sun 

day-school,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  132. 
Trinity    Evangelical    Sunday-school 

Allentown,    Pa.,   98. 
Trinity     Methodist     Episcopal     Sun 

day-school,   Denver,  Col.,  96,  296 

308. 
Trinity    Reformed    Church,    Canton 

O.,   170,  254,  288. 
Trinity  Sunday-school,  Denver,  Col. 

75- 
Trinity      Sunday-school,      Newport 

R.  L,  39,  43,  88,  329. 
Trinity   Presbyterian    Sunday-school 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  92,   188,  315 
Trumbull,  on  Bible-schools,  etc.,   11 

13- 
Trumbull,  Charles  Gallaudet,   112. 

United  Church,  New  Haven,  Conn. 
116,   151,  16s,   180,  282. 

Vincent,  Bishop  John  H.,  D.D.,  261 

348. 
Van     Dyke,     Rev.      Henry,      D.D. 

LL.D.,  356. 

Walkley,  Miss  Frances  S.,   117. 

Walnut  Street  Presbyterian  Sunday 
school,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  99.  112 
148,   168,   169,  200,  244,  245,  297 

335- 
Washington     Street     Congregational 
School,  Toledo,  O.,   197.   i99,  337- 


375 


INDEX 


Watson,  Dr.  John,  355. 

West  End  Presbyterian  School,  New 
York,  291. 

Westminster  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,   Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,    190. 

Westminster  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  81, 
234,    240. 


West     Presbyterian     Sunday-school, 

Binghamton,   N.   Y.,   243. 
Willard,   Dr.   James   Polk,    296,    308. 
Williams,    Rev.    R.    R.,    114. 
Willoughby    Avenue    Congregational 

Sunday-school,    Brooklyn,    N     Y 

84. 
Wilson,  Mr.  Willard  B.,  249. 


THE   END 


i 


376 


£¥   THE  SAME  AUTHOR: 

MODERN  METHODS  IN  CHURCH  WORK 

The  Gospel  Renaissance 

i2mo.    Cloth,  ^i.so    • 


OPINIONS 


Rev.  Frederick  Campbell  says  :  "  An  extraordinary  book,  calculated  to  do 
untold  good." 

Rev.  W.  M.  Paden,  D.D.,  says  :  "  It  seems  to  me,  beyond  all  question,  the  best 
up-to-date  statement  of  modern  methods  which  we  have." 

Rev.  G.  James  Jones,  Ph.D.,  says:  "I  do  not  put  it  too  strongly  when  I  say 
that  it  is  the  most  useful  and  most  helpful  book  that  has  come  to  my  notice  in  many 
years;  it  will  do  an  immense  amount  of  good." 

Rev.  Henry  H.  Stebbins,  D.D.,  says:  "  I  shall  keep  it  at  my  right  hand,  and 
shall  doubtless  refer  to  it  frequently.  I  hope  it  will  have  an  extensive  circulation,  as 
it  certainly  deserves  it." 

Rev.  W.  H.  Fishburn,  D.D.,  says  :  "  My  largest  regret  is  that  I  could  not  have 
had  this  very  book  a  dozen  years  ago  when  \  began  to  preach.  I  want  the  book 
brought  to  the  notice  of  the  theological  seminaries." 

Rev.  Archibald  Hadden  says  :  "  It  is  timely,  philosophical  and  sufficiently 
cyclopedic  to  make  it  a  hand  and  reference  book  on  the  subject." 

Rev.  Akthur  Leonard  Wadsworth  says  :  "  It  gives  in  moderate  space  a  vast 
amount  of  useful  information." 

Rev.  Charles  S.  Mills  says :     "  The  book  is  a  mine  of  information  " 

Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.D.,  says  :  "This  book,  coming  at  a  time  when  the  Institu- 
tional church  movement  is  so  much  in  evidence,  will  prove  valuable  beyond  expression." 

Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  B.  A.  (Christ's  Church.  London),  says :  "  This  is  a  live  book, 
replete  with  interesting  facts  and  hints.  Some  of  the  suggestions  tempt  me  to  further 
experiments  and  efforts  in  evangelistic  and  parochial  work.  I  feel  greatly  indebted  to 
Dr.  Mead,  for  having  collected  so  many  details  of  successful  church  work  and  for 
collating  and  commenting  on  them  with  such  skill.  Let  us  always  be  on  the  alert  to 
adapt  our  methods  to  the  needs  of  our  times,  though  we  need  never  alter  or  modify 
our  gospel.  The  author  is  in  sympathy  with  the  deepest  religious  convictions ;  and 
all  is  subordinated  to  the  Spirit  of  God  working  through  a  godly  church." 


OPINIONS    OF   THE    PRESS 

The  Outlook — "  Its  cardinal  merit  is  that,  while  it  sets  forth  what  ought  to  be,  it 
describes  what  has  actually  begun  to  be.  We  should  be  glad  to  see  it  circulated  in  a 
million  copies." 

Methodist  Review — "  No  minister  who  cares  to  win  men  or  who  wishes  to  know 
what  the  church  of  to-day  is  doing  can  afford  to  be  without  this  book." 

Lutheran  Observer — "  The  work  is  of  great  interest  in  view  of  its  comprehensive- 
ness, and  the  great  amount  of  information  which  it  gives  on  the  highly  important 
subject  of  which  it  treats." 

The  Church  Economist — ''The  secret  of  the  phenomenal  popularity  of  this  book 
is  not  far  to  seek.  The  book  deals  with  the  problems  which  a  vast  number  of  earnest 
souls  are  studying,  and  deals  with  them  in  a  practical  and  helpful  way.  Instead  of 
dissertations  and  exhortations,  we  have  facts  and  suggestions." 

The  Churchman — "  Every  rector  who  feels  dissatisfied  with  the  result  of  his 
work  should  read  this  book.  We  feel  sure  that  from  it  he  can  get  some  suggestion 
which  will  help  him." 

The  Brooklyn  Eagle — "Apart  from  its  value  to  those  interested  in  the  various 
departments  of  church  work,  it  is  a  valuable  contribution  to  sociology  inasmuch  as  it 
defines  the  exact  position  of  those  who  may  be  considered  as  representing  the  church 
of  the  last  years  of  the  century." 

The  Evangelist — "  The  book  that  he  has  given  us  is  a  veritable  treasure-house  of 
facts,  with  a  record  of  inspiring  results.  Few  ministers  that  know  of  it  will  feel  that 
they  can  do  without  it.  The  call  to-day  is  loud  for  practical  methods,  and  this 
volume  fits  the  maxim  on  its  title-page,  'The  contribution  that  this  age  is  to  make  to 
Christian  thought  is  that  Practical  Chiistiauity  is  Christianity.'  " 


Date  Due 

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